Arnon Keren
Associate Professor
Head, Department of Philosophy
Faculty of Humanities
Field of Research
Social Epistemology; Bioethics, Science and Democracy
SHORT BIO
As an Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Philosophy, I bring a diverse educational background to my role. I earned my BA in Psychology and MA in History and Philosophy of Science from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, followed by a Ph.D. in Philosophy from Columbia University. Subsequently, I pursued post-doctoral studies at the Department of Bioethics at the National Institutes of Health. At Haifa, I initiated and chaired the Psyphas Honors Program in Psychology and Philosophy. Additionally, I have served as a visiting scholar at prestigious institutions such as the University of Oxford and King’s College London.
I specialize in the philosophy of knowledge, with a focus on the social dynamics of knowledge and ignorance. Specifically, I investigate how trust and distrust shape our acquisition of knowledge, sometimes facilitating it and at other times hindering it. Despite its abstract nature, my research directly tackles pressing societal issues such as the proliferation of fake news and misinformation, as well as the crisis of expertise in modern society. Employing a multidisciplinary approach, I collaborate with scholars from various fields to develop more effective strategies for addressing these challenges.
Building a More Thoughtful, Representative Israeli Leadership
“It’s no coincidence that many global political leaders hold degrees in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE). The PPE Department at the University of Haifa is uniquely positioned to nurture a new generation of Israeli leaders – leaders who think critically and systematically on a wide range of issues, while engaging in political actions. With a student body that mirrors Israel’s diverse society, our inclusive program serves as a bridge for cultivating leadership that embraces complexity, champions representation, and is dedicated to building a more united future for all Israelis.“
– Prof. Arnon Keren
FUNDRAISING NEEDS
The Department of Philosophy is unique in that alongside cutting-edge research in philosophy, and excellent programs in Philosophy at the undergraduate and graduate level, it houses and contributes to a number of elite multidisciplinary undergraduate programs: the Psyphas honors Program in Psychology and Philosophy, the PPE (Philosophy, Political Science and Economics) program, and a new program in AI and Ethics. We also contribute to the new University of Haifa-Technion Center for Humanities and Artificial Intelligence. Our goal is to promote our understanding of these complex multidisciplinary fields, and to train future leaders who would be able to contribute to society within these fields, by drawing on multidisciplinary skills combining philosophical analysis with empirical and mathematical methods. To achieve these goals and to promote our multidisciplinary research and teaching, we are currently establishing the PsyPhil Lab in philosophical psychology, a first of its kind in Israel, which will house research combining philosophy and psychology. A gift would help us fund required equipment and fellowships for students who would be trained and conduct research in the lab. We also plan to start a new MA program in AI and ethics, and to offer a new counseling ethical service for AI ventures, in association with the University of Haifa-Technion Center for Humanities and Artificial Intelligence. Donation will help us fund the counseling service, alongside fellowships for students who would also contribute to the counselling service.
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