Ethik-Zentrum – Institut für Biomedizinische Ethik

Adresse

Institut für Biomedizinische Ethik
Universität Zürich
Pestalozzistrasse 24
CH-8032 Zürich

Curriculum Vitae

I studied philosophy (main subject), physics, mathematics and biology at the University of Berne (1989-1996). During 1996 to 2001, I worked as a project manager and (science) journalist. I obtained my PhD in Neuroinformatics at the ETH Zurich (2001-2006, topic: The role of spike patterns in neuronal information processing. A historically embedded conceptual clarification). Further engagements: Summer School of Complex Systems at the Santa Fe Institute (2002), Predoctoral fellow at the Max-Planck Institute of the History of Science in Berlin (2005). From 2007 to 2010, I was postdoctoral researcher at the Graduate Program of Interdisciplinary Ethics Research of the URPP Ethics, University of Zurich (project: The neuroscientific investigation of the moral agent) and from 2011 to 2012, I was Visiting Scholar at the Psychology Department of the University of Notre Dame (Moral Psychology Lab of Darcia Narvaez.

Recent publications

• Christen M, Müller S (in press): Expanding DBS indications: Remind the consequences of establishing a therapeutic practice. AJOB Neuroscience
• Christen M, Vitacco DA, Huber L, Harboe J, Fabrikant S, Brugger P (2013): Colorful brains. 14 years of display practice in functional neuroimaging. NeuroImage 73: 30-39.
• Christen M, Faller F, Götz U, Müller C (2012): Serious Moral Games. Erfassung und Vermittlung moralischer Werte durch Videospiele. Edition ZHdK
• Christen M, Narvaez D (2012): Moral Development in Early Childhood is the Key for Moral Enhancement. AJOB Neuroscience 3(4), 25-26.
• Van den Hoven J, Helbing D, Pedreschi D, Domingo-Ferrer J, Gianotti F, Christen M (2012): FuturICT - The Road towards Ethical ICT. European Physical Journal - Special Topics 214: 153–181.

  Please find here the complete publications list

  Research interests

  • Neuroethics: Ethical issues of neuroscience, in particular deep brain stimulation and effects of lesions on moral agency
  • Empirical Ethics: Experimental methodologies for investigating moral agency, in particular the use of computer games (serious moral games) and simulation methods (agent-based modeling).
  • Moral Intelligence: Modeling of human moral agency, developing tools for improving moral competences, in particular moral sensibility.
  • Methodology and History of Neuroscience: Methodological problems in investigating complex human behavior in neuroscience and behavioral sciences, history of technological interventions into the brain, history of social neuroscience
  • Information technology and medicine: Analyzing the framing of human (moral) behavior in medicine and beyond through ICT, in particular information security and autonomous technological systems

  Please find here more information on my research projects

  Collaboration partners

  • Endre Bangerter (Bern University of Applied Sciences: ICT and Medicine)
  • Peter Brugger (University Hospital Zurich: Methodology and History of Neuroscience)
  • Florian Faller, Ulrich Götz, Cornelius Müller (Art University of Zurich: Serious Moral Games)
  • Sabine Müller (Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin: Neuroethics of DBS)
  • Thomas Ott (Zurich University of Applied Sciences: Empirical Ethics
  • Darcia Narvaez (University of Notre Dame, USA: Moral psychology
  • Carmen Tanner (University of Zurich: Moral Intelligence)

  Current research projects

  • Clinical and Ethical Aspects of Deep Brain Stimulation (ID Forschungsdatenbank: 15376)
  • Serious Moral Games: Scenario Development and Validation (ID Forschungsdatenbank: 15381)
  • Optimization of the Online Idea-Generation Process for Innovations (ID Forschungsdatenbank: 15677)
  • Development of a tool for measuring moral sensibility (ID Forschungsdatenbank: 15682)
  • Intellectual humility - the elusive measure (ID Forschungsdatenbank: 18331)