Imagining the Good Life under Uncertainty with Biology and Technology
On 20 and 21 November 2025, the symposium Imagining the Good Life under Uncertainty with Biology and Technology brought together approximately 40 participants from philosophy, ethics, and biotechnology for two days of intensive exchange and reflection.
The symposium provided a space to think collectively about uncertainty, responsibility, and the role of biology and technology in shaping ideas of a good life. Discussions were characterised by thoughtful questions, critical engagement, and productive exchanges across disciplinary perspectives. These conversations extended beyond the formal programme and culminated in a collective zine-making session, which offered a creative and reflective way to capture themes, concerns, and insights that emerged during the event.
Keynote contributions
The programme featured three keynote lectures that addressed pressing ethical, social, and political questions surrounding biotechnology and sustainability:
- Maria Astolfi
Ancestral bio-futures: biotechnology as stewardship of nature - Dr. Abigail Nieves Delgado
Racializing health: Politics of wellbeing in human microbiome research - Prof. Fern Wickson
Radical Social Change for Just and Sustainable Futures: Insights from the IPBES Transformative Change Assessment
The keynote speakers offered critical perspectives on responsibility, justice, and transformation in the life sciences, and their contributions prompted sustained discussion among participants throughout the symposium.
Collaboration and support
The symposium was organised by the Philosophy Chair Group at Wageningen University & Research, and co-organised by the EWUU – Centre for Living Technologies, in collaboration with NWO (Dutch Research Council) and SynBioNL.
The organisers thank all participants for their active engagement and contributions, which made this first edition of the symposium a meaningful and productive event. Appreciation is also extended to Michael van Kekem for the illustration and poster design.
The symposium underscored the value of interdisciplinary dialogue and ethical reflection in the development of living technologies and related research practices.