Barbro Fröding

PhD Philosophy

Senior researcherat The Division of Philosophy, KTH.

My main research interests are virtue ethics, bioethics, ethics and technology, medical ethics and the ethics of cognitive enhancement. Recent publications include: “Watch out! Cities as data engines”, co-authored with Fabio Duarte, AI & Society The Journal of Human-Centred systems, (2022); “Technology, cognitive enhancement and virtue ethics”, in Shannon Vallor (ed.), The Oxford Handbook of Philosophy of Technology, OUP, (2021). "Ethical conflicts in patient-centred care”, co-authored with Sven Ove Hansson, in Clinical Ethics, (2020); “Friendly AI”, co-authored with Martin Peterson, Ethics and Information Technology (2020).

I have also written about good decision-making concerning the development and use of technology with an eye to social sustainability: Neuroenhancement: how mental training and meditation can promote epistemic virtue (co-authored with Walter Osika, Springer 2015) and Virtue Ethics and Human Enhancement (Springer 2013).

My academic background is from the UK and Sweden: Marie Curie Postdoctoral Fellow, Oxford Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics, Faculty of Philosophy, Oxford, 2008-2010); Hardie Postdoctoral Junior Research Fellow (Lincoln College, Oxford, 2008-2010) ; PhD in Philosophy (KTH 2008); MSc Politics of Empire and Post-Imperialism (London School of Economics LSE 2001); BA War Studies and Philosophy (King’s College London, 1999).

Current research project include; ethical aspects attaching to AI and data collection in the smart city and  an EU funded research project on disruptive technologies in the public sector (ETAPAS).

Current Academic Titles and Affiliations

2013  Docent (Associate Professor).Division of Philosophy, KTH The Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden

2010 - Senior Researcher.Division of Philosophy, KTH The Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden

2010 -Former Fellow.Lincoln College, Oxford, UK

2010 -Senior Research Associate.Oxford Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics, Faculty of Philosophy, Oxford, UK

2010 - Research Associate.BEP, Program on the Ethics of the New Biosciences, Oxford, UK

2008-2010Marie Curie Postdoctoral Fellow.Oxford Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics, Faculty of Philosophy, Oxford, UK

2008-2010Hardie Postdoctoral Junior Research Fellow.Lincoln College, Oxford, UK

2008-Further Researcher inCognitive Enhancement.Wellcome Centre for Neuroethics, Faculty of Philosophy, Oxford, UK

2008-2010 Research Fellow.Division of Philosophy, The Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Sweden

2009- Executive Committee Member and Senior Research FellowStockholm Centre for Healthcare Ethics (a collaboration between Karolinska Institutet, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm University), Sweden

2009-2012Deputy Co-ordinator of ETHENTECH(EU funded in FP7)Main project objective; to substantially forward both the ethical evaluation andpublic discussion of neurological implants and the potential for humanfunctional enhancement.

Higher Education

2003-2008    PhD in Philosophy,Division of Philosophy, KTH The Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden

Supervisors:Professor Sven Ove Hansson and Professor Martin Peterson

2006 (01-07) Visiting Student(modern and Aristotelian virtue ethics)St. Anne’s College, Oxford, UK

Supervisor: Professor Roger Crisp

1999-2000      MSc Politics of Empire and Post-Imperialism,London School of Economics (LSE), London, UK

1996-1999      BA War Studies and PhilosophyKing’s College London, London, UK

1994-1996      Political Science and EnglishLiterature  Stockholm University, Sweden

1993-1994      French and GeographyUniversité de Nice Sophia Antipolis, France

Publications

Peer-reviewed articles

1. “Watch out! Cities as data engines”, co-authored with Fabio Duarte, forthcoming in AI & Society The Journal of Human-Centred systems, 2022.

2. "Ethical conflicts in patient-centred care”, co-authored with Sven Ove Hansson, in Clinical Ethics, October 2020. https://doi.org/10.1177/147775092096235

3. “Friendly AI”, co-authored with Martin Peterson, Ethics and Information Technology (2020), 1-8.

4. Cognitive Enhancement and the Principle of Need, co-authored with Niklas Juth,  inNeuroethics: Volume 8, Issue 3 (2015), Page 231-242
5. “Why Computer Games Can Be Essential For Human Flourishing”, co-authored with Martin Peterson,inJournal of Information, Communication and Ethics in Society, (2013),11(2), 81-91.
6. "Why Virtual Friendship Is No Genuine Friendship“, co-authored with Martin Peterson,inEthics of Information Technology,(2012) 14:201-207 DOI 10.1007/s10676-011-9284-4DOI
7.  “Hope as a virtue in an Aristotelian context” (an invited comment on Michael Barilan’s article “From Hope in Palliative Care to Hope as a Virtue and a Life Skill”), in The Journal of Philosophy, Psychiatry, & Psychology (PPP), vol. 9, no 3, Sept. 2012.
8. “Virtuous Choice and Parity “, co-authored with Martin Peterson,in Ethical Theory and Moral Practice,Volume 15, Issue 1 (2012), Page 71-82
9. Cognitive Enhancement, Virtue Ethics and the Good Life",Neuroethics: Volume 4, Issue 3 (2011), Page 223-234
10. “Animals and Friendship: a reply to Rowlands”, co-authored with Martin Peterson,in Journal of Animal Ethics,vol 1: 187-189, 2011
11. "Animal Ethics Based on Friendship", co-authored with Martin Peterson,Journal of Animal Ethics, vol: 1(1): 58-69, 2011
12. “Virtue Ethics and Partiality to Oneself: Organ donation within families”inJournal of Indian Council of Philosophical Research, July-September 2010, Vol. XXVII, No. 3, 1-20.
13. “On the Importance of Treating Oneself Well”,in Polish Journal of Philosophy Volume 4, Number 1 - 2010
14.  “Different Types – Different Rights” inScience and Engineering Ethics,13(2): 221-233, 2007
15. “Why We are Not Allowed to Sell That Which We are Encouraged to Donate” inCambridge Quarterly of Healthcare Ethics. Volume 15, No 1, Winter 2006
16. “Bodily Rights & Property Rights”, co-authored with  Sven Ove Hansson, inJournal of Medical Ethics, Volume 32, Issue 4, 2006
17. “Bioethics in Sweden”, co-authored with Sven Ove Hansson, inCambridge Quarterly of Healthcare Ethics. Volume 15:285-293, No 2, Spring 2006

Books

1.  ‘Neuroenhancement: how mental training and meditation can promote epistemic virtue’, co-authored with Walter Osika, published by Springer Briefs in Ethics 2015,  ISBN 978-3-319-23517-2
2. ‘Virtue Ethics and Human Enhancement’, published by Springer Briefs in Ethics 2013, ISBN 978-94-007-5671-7

Invited book chapters

1. “Technology, cognitive enhancement and virtue ethics”,  in Shannon Vallor (ed.), The Oxford Handbook of Philosophy of Technology, 2021.
2. "Cognitive Enhancement, Virtue Ethics and the Good Life", in Arthur L. Caplan and Brendan Parent (eds.),The Ethical Challenges of Emerging Medical Technologies,Ashgate, 2016.
3.  ‘How to be a Virtuous Recipient of a Transplant Organ’,co-authored with Martin Peterson, inJox, R., Assadi, G., & Marckmann, G. (Eds.). (2015).Organ Transplantation in Times of Donor Shortage: Challenges and Solutions (Vol. 59). Springer.
4.  “Virtue Ethics – a short introduction” in (ed.) Pragati Sahni,Understanding Ethics,Macmillan Publishers, India, 2013
5.  "Why We Are Not Allowed to Sell That Which We Are Encouraged to Donate," in Jessica Pierce and George Randels (eds.) Contemporary Bioethics: A Reader with Cases, OUP, 2009
6. “Property Rights in the Body – A Philosophical Approach” in M. Steinmann, P. Sykora, U. Wiesing (eds.)Altruism reconsidered: exploring new approaches to property in human tissue,Ashgate, 2009
7.  “Vem kan äga en cell” (Who can Own a Cell?) in the anthology Filosofins Nya Möten (The Novel Terrains of Philosophy), published by Gidlunds Förlag, 2005

Other publications

• “Virtue Ethics, Bioethics and the Ownership of Biological Material”, Björkman B. (2008).Theses in Philosophy from the Royal Institute of Technology 28. viii + 203 pp. Stockholm. ISBN: 978-91-7178-993-8
• “Ethical Aspects of Owning Biological Material”, Björkman B. (2005).Licentiate Thesis in philosophy at the Royal Institute of Technology