Research expertise

Historical and contemporary research in ethics and metaphysics.

Technique

Conceptual analysis, thought experiments.

Users

General audience interested in philosophical questions.

Keywords

Metaphysics, Relation church-state, Economics and ethics, Christianity, Philosophy, Philosophy of religion

Feminist philosophy, analytical philosophy, ethics, philosophy of emotions, critical race theory

Technique

Analytical philosophy, conceptual analysis

Users

People looking to deepen their thoughts, youths, civil society, (think)festivals, conferences, newspapers, media

Keywords

Emotions, Ethics, Feminism, Philosophy

My research focuses on David Hume's account of the epistemic and moral authority of religion and society. In particular I analyse Hume's methodological shift between the Enquiry on Human Understanding and the Enquiry on the Principles of Morals. I clarify the notions of utility and superstition throughout his philosophical and historical work and I emphasise the importance of fictions in his theory of government. My results are challenging traditional interpretations of Hume as a sceptic, naturalist, and atheist.

Technique

Not applicable

Users

Students and researchers in history of philosophy

Keywords

History of philosophy

My main research focuses on contemporary political philosophy (Rawls, Dworkin, Raz, Kymlicka, Kukathas, Galston), perfectionism versus antiperfectionism, state neutrality, church-state regimes, freedom of education and freedom of religion, religious education and faith-based schools. Last years, my main focus of research is on religious Education, with particular attention for non-confessional RE and neutrality; islamic RE in Belgium and in Europe; and comparative research in RE. My approach is not empirical or theological, but based on political philosophy, epistemology, and the study of religions.

Technique

Theoretical research, mainly in political philosphy, epistemology, the study of religions and international literature on religious Education and churh-state relations. Practical issues such as religious educaiton, financing religions, recognizeing and subsidizing faith-based schools, are, based on insigts of the abovementioned disciplines, evaluated in a critical and constructive way.

Users

Academic researchers Policy makers Politicians Educational stakeholders and experts Journalists

Keywords

Political philosophy, Religious pluralism, Education policy, Constitutional law, Religious education, State aid, Freedom of education, State neutrality and religion, Religious studies, Autonomy

Ethical issues related to genetics, reproductive medicine, feminism, disability studies and neurodiversity (autism, ADHD).

Technique

Qualitative research

Users

Researchers, companies

Keywords

Epigenetics

History of Early Modern Philosophy, David Hume, meta-ethics and moral psychology, bio-ethics

Technique

Historical research.

Users

Academic (intra and extra-disciplinary).

Keywords

Ethics, Philosophy of economics, Moral psychology, Applied ethics

Studies: MA Psychologie, MA Moraalwetenschappen, PhD Sociale Wetenschappen Onderzoek over: Multiculturalisme, Politieke filosofie, Integratie, Sociale cohesie, Interculturalisme, Hoger Onderwijs.

Technique

Desk research Qualitative research

Users

Academics, politicians, media, civil society

Keywords

Political philosophy, Citizenship

Talks, lectures and workshops/seminars on the relation church-state, secularisation in the West, tolerance and pluralism, relation worldviews - meaning of life - science and history of ideas concerning religion and worldviews.

Technique

Talks, lectures and workshops/seminars.

Users

- Educational institutions - Governmental services - Organisations in the civil society

Keywords

World views, Tolerance and pluralism, Relation worldviews - science, Relation church-state, Secularisation in the west, Moral philosophy, Religion studies, Radicalisation, Religion

Dr. Mayli Mertens investigates ways in which sense-making — through human and artificial cognition — shapes the physical world and how feedback loops affect such processes. Reflexive predictions like self-fulfilling and self-defeating prophecies are central to her work. Mayli was awarded the Marie Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship, for which she investigates the epistemic and ethical implications of predictions in genetics. Her main scientific interest is in epistemology and bioethics. In 2023, she founded the Atlas Center for Bioethics in Andalusia, in collaboration with the universities of Granada and Almeria.

Technique

Empirical Research through observations, fieldwork, interviews, focus groups, etc

Users

General public, governmental institutions, media (and their journalists), institutions of education (an their educators), medical institutions and health services.

Keywords

Placebo & nocebo, Ethics of ai, Reflexive prediction

Research interests: bioethics, biology & normativity, ethics of epigenetics, disability, moral responsibility (incl. collective), feminist & non-ideal political philosophy, intergenerational justice, philosophy of parenthood & education

Technique

Research methods include: conceptual analysis, experimental philosophy (quantitative, e.g. online surveys, and qualitative)

Users

policy-makers, activists, NGO's, educators, ouders

Keywords

Philosophy of education, Intergenerational justice, Disability, Bio-ethics, Parenthood, Queer studies, Philosophy of medicine, Ethics of epigenetics

Within the fields of moral psychology and meta-ethics I focus on the nature and importance of moral emotions (shame, regret, anger...) and on the connection between love and morality. Within feminist philosophy I focus on questions at the intersection of ethics and epistemology (epistemic injustice, moral encroachment) Within health humanities I research questions surrounding ASD, abortion, the end of live, the meaning of a politics and ethics of care

Technique

conceptual analysis armchair reflection foundational criticism literature study

Users

academic philosophers large audience

Keywords

Emotions, Implicit bias, Love, Autism, Responsibility

Within the trans-disciplinary project BactoHealing, my work lies between art, science and philosophy. The ethical aspects of healing, working with microbes, decolonizing the scientific laboratory, and re-defining the agency of abstract life forms, are in the focus.

Technique

conceptual analysis, armchair reflection, literature study, practical experiments with audiences, attuning, artistic protocols as research

Users

academia, audiences, scientific laboratories

Keywords

High energy interactions, Trans-disciplinary research creation

`Koelleven´is a project featuring the exploration of the ethics of attunement, - deep listening in the context of the microbiota in hyperboloid cooling towers of electric energy facilities. The methodology consists of field, lab (microbiology and solar physics), - and literature research in the fields of BioArt, energy art, art-science, transdisciplinarity and bioethics. Partners: X-LAB, UHasselt; Lab of Microbiology and Centre for Synthetic Biology, UGhent; Department of Philosophy, UAntwerp; New Energy Technologies Group, Aalto University; SCK CEN, Mol; Bioart Society; Z33 House for Contemporary Art, Design & Architecture, Hasselt; nadine lab for contemporary art, Brussels. Koelleven is a project by Bartaku Art_Research / r-Ohm vzw – Helsinki, Brussels. With support from: the Flemish Cultural Authorities (Innovative Partner Project Funding).

Technique

The overarching research hypothesis that fuses MicroTuning reads as follows: How to express the entanglement of microbiomes in cooling towers of a nuclear power station with sapiens? I address this research question and corresponding objectives through the activities of an international transdisciplinary working group that will operate on a double scale: 1) the scientific schemes & lab proceedings on a microscopic scale; 2) on a macroscopic scale the artwork production and its public exhibiting.

Users

Scientists (microbiology, physics), artists, curators, designers, architects, philosophers, anthropologists, ethnologists, ecologists, d.i.y. / citizen science communities.

Keywords

Art and science

Business ethics, sustainable business, sustainable finance

Technique

Mainly conceptual analysis with occasional use of qualitative and quantitative data

Users

Business, financial actors, policymakers in the domain of sustainability, NGO's

Keywords

Ethics, Sustainable growth, Sustainable finance