dr. Barend de Rooij

Bio

My name is Barend de Rooij, and I'm an Assistant Professor of Ethics at Tilburg University.

I joined the department in January of 2022 after completing a joint PhD in Philosophy at the University of Sheffield (UoS) and the University of Groningen (UG). In my doctoral research, which was supervised by Boudewijn de Bruin (UG) and Miranda Fricker (NYU), I studied the notion of group character, or the idea that collectives can instantiate virtuous or vicious character states qua group. 

Before moving to Sheffield, I completed an MA in Philosophy and European Studies at KU Leuven. I also hold an MLitt in Philosophy from the University of St. Andrews. During my BA at Leiden University College, I spent some time studying philosophy at Rutgers University, where I discovered my passion for analytic philosophy.

Born and raised in Tilburg, I'm excited to return to my hometown. But I'm still looking for the best off-leash dog spots - please message me if you've got advice!

Expertise

My research combines (applied) ethics with insights from virtue and vice epistemology. I'm especially drawn to the study of epistemic injustice, which concerns ways in which we can be wronged in the acquisition, transfer, and possession of knowledge. 

• Epistemic Injustice & AI - Can we use philosophical insights about epistemic injustice to study the moral implications of various AI technologies? Can certain algorithms be vectors of epistemic injustice, and if so, how can we mitigate these injustices? In my most recent work, I apply the framework of of epistemic injustice to understand how algorithmic explanations can disadvantage certain communities of knowers.
• The (Epistemic) Character of Groups - What do we do when we attribute stereotypically human qualities - like character traits - to groups? When we say that a police force is "racist," for instance, are we evaluating its members, its structures, its "ethos," or doing something else?

Onderwijs

As a teacher, I enjoy drawing connections between philosophical theory and recent events. This is easy to do in the courses I've taught:

• Business Ethics (TiU, UG)
• Ethics of AI (TiU)
• Ethics (TiU)
• Knowledge, Justice, and Management (TiU)

At the University of Sheffield, I supervised discussion seminars on ethics, epistemology, and logic.

My teaching is not in academic philosophy exclusively. I've taught a number of workshops on scientific integrity to PhD students at this university, as well as some masterclasses in virtue epistemology to (management) professionals. If you're a prospective, current, or former student of mine - feel free to reach out with any questions or comments about my teaching. I'm always happy to hear from you.

Vakken

• Kennis, Rechtvaardigheid en Management
• Ethics of AI
• Trust & Vigilance in the Data Age

Recente publicaties

1. Waarom algoritmes uitlegbaar moeten zijn

   de Rooij, B. (2024). Waarom algoritmes uitlegbaar moeten zijn. Web publication/site, Bij Nader Inzien. https://bijnaderinzien.com/2024/03/25/waarom-algoritmes-uitlegbaar-moeten-zijn/

2. Group Character - A Study of Collective Virtue and Vice

   de Rooij, B. (2022). Group Character: A Study of Collective Virtue and Vice. [Doctoral Thesis, University of Groningen]. University of Groningen.

3. Real Life Collective Epistemic Virtue and Vice

   de Rooij, B., & de Bruin, B. (2022). Real Life Collective Epistemic Virtue and Vice. In M. Alfano, C. Klein, & J. de Ridder (Eds.), Social Virtue Epistemology (1st ed.). Routledge.