Dr. phil.
Sabrina Coninx
Philosopher
I am an Assistant Professor at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, co-coordinating the Master Philosophy of Neuroscience. Before that, I worked at Ruhr University Bochum as a postdoctoral researcher and scientific coordinator of the Research Training Group Situated Cognition.
I obtained a PhD in philosophy at the Ruhr University Bochum under the supervision of Albert Newen and Colin Klein. I obtained a Master degree in philosophy and a Bachelor degree in philosophy and psychology at the University of Bonn.
Please see my Biography for more information. You may also find me on Philpaper, Researchgate, Academia, and Twitter.
My VU research profile provides an overview of and access to my publications. For more information see also Research & Publications.
Contact: s.coninx [at] vu.nl
Research
I am interested in multiple core aspects of the philosophy of mind, taking into account research findings and questions from neuroscience, psychology, linguistics, medicine, and healthcare.
My research focuses on mental phenomena related to human suffering which appears to me as one of the most enigmatic, but also fascinating research subjects. I have intensively worked on diverse philosophical questions related to acute and chronic pain. For example, I am interested in tools to systematically model the phenomenal experiences of people living with pain and how they can be accounted for within a naturalistic framework. Furthermore, I use core concepts of situated cognition to address the question of how biological, psychological, and social factors interact in chronic illnesses and can be targeted in clinical contexts to reduce human suffering. I have become increasingly interested in the role of technology and narratives in these processes.
Another research area of mine is the philosophy of social understanding, especially the plurality of epistemic strategies we use in interaction with others. Furthermore,I use expertimental approaches to study the folk concept of pain and suffering.
Areas of Specialisation
Philosophy of Mind
Philosophy of Neuroscience
Philosophy of Psychiatry
Philosophy of Healthcare
Situated Cognition
Social Cognition
Experimental Philosophy
Research Subjects
Pain
Human Suffering
Chronic Illnesses
Affective Disorders
Scaffolding & Niche Construction
Affordances
Disruptive Technologies
Mindreading & Mindshaping
Current Collaborations & Networks
In Development
Network Project on Technological Niche Disruption
Since 2024
Knowledge transfer project ‚From Pain Theory to Practice: A Community-Initiated Knowledge Translation Project’ funded by the Canadian Chiropractic Research Foundation
German-Taiwanese Project ‘COMPAIN – The Complexity of Pain and Its Normative Implications’ funded by ERA-NET NEURON
Since 2022
Research Network ‘The Role of Ambivalence in the Agency of Suicidal Individuals’ (German Research Foundation) (since 2022)
Biography
Information about my academic career, educational background, funding, & grants
Research & Publications
Detailed description of research projects & related publications
Presentations
List of selected talks & other conference contributions
Science Communication
Informationen concerning outreach activities, such as podcast or lectures for non-philosophers
Academic Activities
Teaching, conference organization, & administrative work