TECHNOLIFE a Transdisciplinary approach to the emerging challenges of novel technologies: Lifeworld and imaginaries in foresight and ethics
Code:
D14
Primary project information
Lead:
University of Bergen
Additional project partners:
Univ. of Copenhagen, Lancaster Univ., Univ. of Manchester, Univ. de Versailles-St.Quentin-en-Yvelines, Univ. of Tartu, Univ. Autònoma de Barcelona and EC-Joint Research Centre (Ispra, Italy)
Type of activity:
FLA
Date conducted:
2009 - 2011
Date of Publication:
2011
Duration:
3 YEARS
Summary:
TECHNOLIFE is an interdisciplinary research project on the ethics of emerging science and technology, coordinated by the University of Bergen. The Technolife team has experimented with social media and films in order to develop methods to better represent citizens' concerns and imaginations of technological and social development to policy makers and researchers. In our online forums we have invited interested and concerned parties to discuss ethical and social aspects of biometrics, human enhancement and geographic imaging systems (GIS).
Financed by:
European Commission FP7-SIS
Budget:
809, 343 EURO
Research area/market/industry/sector:
society, security, human enhancement and body modification; justice; equality and power; imagination; Trust in technology and in government; biometrics, converging technologies; participation
Main report (full title):
1. Citizens as Informed Debaters about Human Enhancement and Body Modification TECHNOLIFE: Ethics with People Key Results;
2. Citizens as Neo-Geographers: the Challenge of Responsible GIS TECHNOLIFE: Ethics with People Key Results;
3. Connected to the System? Biometrics and Mobility in the EU TECHNOLIFE: Ethics with People Key Results;
4. TECHNOLIFE: Ethics with People Integration of participation and dialogue into ethical frameworks for emerging science and technology Key Results;
5. Report: the TECHNOLIFE approach: Integration of participation and dialogue into ethicalframeworks for emerging science and technology
2. Citizens as Neo-Geographers: the Challenge of Responsible GIS TECHNOLIFE: Ethics with People Key Results;
3. Connected to the System? Biometrics and Mobility in the EU TECHNOLIFE: Ethics with People Key Results;
4. TECHNOLIFE: Ethics with People Integration of participation and dialogue into ethical frameworks for emerging science and technology Key Results;
5. Report: the TECHNOLIFE approach: Integration of participation and dialogue into ethicalframeworks for emerging science and technology
GRAND CHALLENGES
Technical Challenges:
Human enhancement: Citizens want to be involved. Many see a noncommercial “open source” pathway as an interesting and viable option for enhancements, also as a counterweight to the power of corporate and state actors. Biometrics: seperate meaningful utilization of biometrics systems from the centralization of data; the use of biometrics may not impede personal privacy from government; the transparency of the process and inclusion of the public is important for securing the trust of the public in the technology and its governance. GIS: Geographic Imaging System: For Europe, the policy challenge is to develop institutional arrangements that can accommodate the transformation from a centralised and reactive mode to a truly participatory and proactive mode as GIS provides the possibilities to citizens to map space in new ways, create new forms of meaning and culture and thereby change the space in real time.
Technical Challenges Shortlist:
Human enhancement: Citizens want to be involved in noncommercial “open source” pathway as an interesting and viable option for enhancements; Biometrics: seperate transparent, inclusive and meaningful utilization of biometrics systems from the centralization of data; GIS: Geographic Imaging System: develop institutional arrangements to transform centralised GIS to a truly participatory and proactive mode as GIS provides the possibilities to citizens to map space in new ways;
Summary of relevant aspects
Aspects of RTI Governance:
Human enhancement: For European authorities, the policy challenge is to develop institutional arrangements that can accommodate the transformation from a centralised and reactive mode of governance to a truly participatory and proactive mode. In the case of enhancement this means more than debate: Citizens should be engaged as co-producers of enhancement. knowledge and technologies.
Background information:
The context for the TECHNOLIFE Project was the admitted challenges and shortcomings to existing ethical frameworks for new and emerging sciences and technologies.
The TECHNOLIFE project sought to develop new frameworks for the early identification, characterization and deliberation upon ethical issues arising from a broad range of information and communication technologies (ICTs), including their convergence with other scientific and technological fields (such as bio-nano). Providing multi-layered descriptions and normative analyses through inter- and trans-disciplinary research, the project worked to improve existing conceptual frameworks and procedures for implementing and representing the social needs and interests of citizens at early stages of policy-making and research.
The TECHNOLIFE project sought to develop new frameworks for the early identification, characterization and deliberation upon ethical issues arising from a broad range of information and communication technologies (ICTs), including their convergence with other scientific and technological fields (such as bio-nano). Providing multi-layered descriptions and normative analyses through inter- and trans-disciplinary research, the project worked to improve existing conceptual frameworks and procedures for implementing and representing the social needs and interests of citizens at early stages of policy-making and research.
Scenarios
Actions/solutions implied:
Biometrics: For distributed systems, such as biometrics, ICTs may provide valuable tools for communication and dialogue. The
best way of promoting sustainable innovation in biometric technologies is a precautionary attitude oriented towards openness, transparency and the safeguarding of civil rights. But biometrics may also be used to give rights to people: If the state does not know who you are, it cannot grant you access to social services and basic human rights, such as voting.
best way of promoting sustainable innovation in biometric technologies is a precautionary attitude oriented towards openness, transparency and the safeguarding of civil rights. But biometrics may also be used to give rights to people: If the state does not know who you are, it cannot grant you access to social services and basic human rights, such as voting.
Who benefits from the actions taken?:
European society as a whole, no specific groups indicated
Keywords:
Geographic scope: