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Reflections on the dynamic relations between truth and fiction as imageneries

In: Frank Gadinger, Martina Kopf, Ayşem Mert, and Christopher Smith (eds.). Political Storytelling: From Fact to Fiction (Global Dialogues 12) This essay presents a summary of important perspectives concerning the distinction between what counts as truth or fiction. As a source of inspiration, it starts with two examples found in literature – the first a classical Spanish novel and the second a collection of stories written by the leader of a social movement in Mexico. These two examples of the conflictive relations between truth and fiction, authenticity and imagination serve as a source of inspiration for the rest of this article, which shows that this issue has been a subject of intense debate in philosophy and in the philosophy of science and still presents a challenge in the 21st century. The essay states that absolute, objective truth is a myth. It describes that what counts as ‘truth’ in a particular era, is, among other things, the result of power relations. It suggests productive ways to deal with this problem in modern society, through deliberative, emancipatory processes of reflexivity (Weick 1999), participatory research and dialogue, facilitating innovation and generation of new solutions.

Monologue to Dialogue: Education in the 21st Century

This paper argues that there is a need for a dialogical learning space because soft skills are becoming increasingly important in an ever more unstable labour market. Where once a monological form of education worked to prepare youth for the future, now a dialogue is required. This dialogue, by definition or in the first place seek consensus, but assumes pluralism and even conflict and is thereby intended to be a true departure from the monological nature of education.

Management of Innovation in a Flat World

Innovation is not what it was in the 20th century; the classic century of R & D based innovation. The nature of innovation is changing, only in part because different technologies dominate innovation. This paper identifies three main societal trends that are of major importance for strategic management of innovation in industry and for government industrial- and technology policies. These trends are: - Growing complexity - Globalisation - Citizen participation As a result, innovation strategy and technology policies cannot be determined by ad hoc technology push and market pull factors popping up. Strategic planning, not just of products and technologies but also of sites and alliances becomes increasingly important. Transparency and stakeholder dialogue require new competencies of the technology manager.

Assessment measures in clinical practice in the Netherlands

Until the first part of the 20th century, health was defined as the absence of disease and was measured in terms of morbidity and mortality. This simple definition of health was rejected in 1948 with the expansion of the concept of health by the World Health Organization (WHO), defining it as “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity” (World Health Organization 1948).

Never mind where, so long as it's fast

The Autumn 2015 edition is a special issue of non-fiction and artwork on the subject of technê and technology. This issue confronts the difficult questions of our time: Where are these tools and technologies leading us? What does it mean for the natural world and our own humanity? And how do we live through this? Jan van Boeckel writes of the documentary he made on 20th century techno-sage Jacques Ellul.

University education and training of professionals for the company of the 21st century.