Upcoming Talk: Pint of Science Maastricht, May 21st

Finally, one wish comes true: to present my work with a beer in my hand! During the international Pint of Science Festival, I will present in a Neuroethics session in The Lab in Maastricht, Tuesday 21st May, 19h. We have a great little program with Dorothee Horstkötter and Katherine Bassil. I will present on the mindful brain and working well. Check the website for the abstracts, and the full programme in Maastricht!

The Pint of Science festival aims to deliver interesting, fun, relevant talks on the latest science research in an accessible format to the public – all in the pub! Researchers across 24 countries will be sharing their discoveries with you in their local pub, bar or cafe. This is the first time Maastricht participates in this international festival.

My talk: What should we do with our brains?

Popular science books about our plastic brains fill the bookstore. They offer us a wealth of useful knowledge, from insights into the adolescent brain for parents, to suggestions for keeping the aging brain healthy. Such books promise us that by changing our brains, we can achieve happiness, health, or success more easily and with longer-lasting results. Based on his PhD-research on popular neuroscience literature, philosopher Ties van de Werff questions whether such ‘brain-inspired good life’ really challenges and revolutionises what we should do in order to live well. What do we gain or lose, when we use scientific knowledge as an answer for dealing with the challenges of our everyday lives?