technological progress: blessing or curse? (2012)
DESCRIPTION
Talk on the ethics technological progress given to ITT@POLIMI on November 21, 2012.TRANSCRIPT
technological progress:a curse or a blessing?
andrea boggioassociate professor of legal
studiesbryant university
presented at IIT@POLIMINovember 21, 2012
<3 issues>
breadth vs depth
private interests in R&D
<3 issues>
biobankstechnology and risk
human enhancement
<3 issues>
the place of ethical reasoning in technology
development
< issue #1>
biobanks or genetics databases
œ
<biobanks>
biobanksor
genetics databases= collections of samples +
data
New technology
New way of doing science
Driven by weak or speculative hypotheses
Generates unpredicted findings
Generates “big data”
Challenge traditional ways of doing research
New vision
Broad consentOwnership of data
Ownership of samples
Identity issue:
research infrastructures
orpublic health resources?
Challenge traditional ways of doing research
New vision
Broad consentOwnership of data
Ownership of samples
Identity issue:
research infrastructures
orpublic health resources?
<issue #2>
ethics of risk
<ethics of risk>
what to do when we do not know if something is risky?
<ethics of risk>
GMOsnanotechnology
ignorance
<ethics of risk>
conventional viewrisk = probabilities of
outcomes
precautionary principle vs.risk benefit analysis
<ethics of risk>
risk however is not value-free
not all risks are equal- involuntary
- irreversible harm- incommensurable values
<ethics of risk>
rethinking the conventional view
risk is multilayeredprincipled approachdemocratic values
distribution of benefits/harms
<issue #3>
human enhancement
<human enhancement>
changing basic parameters of human life
extending lifespan
physical mood/personality enhancement
cognitive
selecting children
<human enhancement>
are we “tampering” nature, redefining what “being a human” mean, or “optimizing” evolution?
should be worried about fair access?
<human enhancement>
L'homme est la seule créature qui refuse d'être ce qu'elle est. La question est de
savoir si ce refus ne peut l’amener qu’à la destruction des autres et de lui-même…
Man is the only creature that refuses to be what he is. The question is: do we know if this refusal can only lead to
destruction of others and of himself…Albert Camus
<human enhancement>
L'homme est la seule créature qui refuse d'être ce qu'elle est. La question est de
savoir si ce refus ne peut l’amener qu’à la destruction des autres et de lui-même…
Man is the only creature that refuses to be what he is. The question is: do we
know if this refusal can only lead to the destruction of others and of himself…
Albert Camus
<blessing or curse?>
bioliberation vs. biothreattechnological progress is not inevitable
technological progress is not inconsequential
constantly rethinking our place in this planetindividual choices matter
institutions and processes matterprivate interests in R&D
<blessing or curse?>
bioliberation vs. biothreattechnological progress is not inevitable
technological progress is not inconsequential
constantly rethinking our place in this planetindividual choices matter
institutions and processes matterprivate interests in R&D
<blessing or curse?>
bioliberation vs. biothreattechnological progress is not inevitable
technological progress is not inconsequential
constantly rethinking our place in this planetindividual choices matter
institutions and processes matterprivate interests in R&D
<private investment in R&D>
4 claims
<private investment in R&D>
we live in times of intense commodification
<private investment in R&D>
commodification is particularly objectionable when affecting primary
goods
“the logic of buying and selling no longer applies to material goods alone.
It increasingly governs the whole of life” (Sandel 2012)
<private investment in R&D>
history teaches us thatprofit motive is a dangerous incentive
research on asbestos, tobacco, drug industries
<private investment in R&D>
bioliberation vs. biothreatdepends largely upon private interests
Andrea BoggioAssociate Professor of Legal StudiesBryant University