Practising Narrative Virtue Ethics Of Technology In Research and Innovation Transfer Talk – March 2017 Wessel Reijers, ADAPT Centre Dublin City University Supervisory panel: Prof. Bert Gordijn , Prof. Declan O’Sullivan & Prof. Renaat Verbruggen The ADAPT Centre is funded under the SFI Research Centres Programme (Grant 13/RC/2106) and is co-funded under the European Regional Development Fund.
Research and Technological Innovation www.adaptcentre.ie • Technologies play an increasingly pervasive role in our lives • Social media mediate our conversations (filter bubble) • Weapons mediate warfare (military drones) • Wearable's mediate our bodies (smart watch) • Technologies have ethical impacts on people, groups, society • We need to reflect on the ethics of technological innovations developed through R&I processes
Structure of the talk www.adaptcentre.ie 3 Research Questions: 1. What are the established methods for practising ethics in Research and 1. Established Methods Innovation processes? for Practising Ethics in R&I 2. What are the main shortcomings of these methods and what requirements for a novel method follow from these shortcomings? 2. Critique of Established Methods & 3. To what extent can these requirements Requirements for a novel method be accommodated by a novel method that is based on a framework of virtue ethics of technology connected with a philosophical theory of narrative technologies? 3. Framework of Narrative Virtue Ethics of Technology
I Established Methods for Practicing Ethics in R&I www.adaptcentre.ie 1. Established Methods 1.1. Method for for Practising Ethics in literature selection R&I Task : conducting a literature review with the aim of finding and analysing the state of the 2. Critique of Established 1.2 Results of literature art in methods for Methods & selection Requirements for a practising ethics in R&I novel method 3. Framework of 1.3 Analysis of the Narrative Virtue Ethics established methods of Technology
Literature review: Method www.adaptcentre.ie 1. Selection databases: (1) Web of Knowledge, (2) Scopus, (3) Springerlink 2. Search with 7 Queries: combinations of the terms “ethics”, “ethical”, “impact”, “assessment”, 1.1. Method for “methodology”, “technology”, “research”, “ practising ” literature selection and “incorporating” 3. Total using the 7 queries: 1728 4. Useful sources (checking titles and abstracts for aspects of ethics in R&I context, discussing methods ): 50 5. Backwards snowballing (checking for titles with relevant 1.2 Results of literature terms and/or mentioning of earlier found methods): 51 selection 6. Total useful sources: 101 7. Selection of “Established Methods” (Criteria: should be used in 2 or more sources and discussed by multiple authors). 8. Outcome: 10 established methods for practising ethics in 1.3 Analysis of the R&I. established methods
Literature review: Results www.adaptcentre.ie 10 Established Methods for Practising Ethics in R&I ETHICS 1.1. Method for • Conceptual Value Sensitive Design literature selection investigations: what values should be Ethical Matrix embedded in design? • Empirical Checklist approaches investigations: How do different Ethical Impact Assessment 1.2 Results of literature stakeholders relate to selection these values? Discourse Ethics • Technical investigations: How ETICA Method can interventions in the technology Disclosive Ethics design promote these 1.3 Analysis of the values? established methods Anticipatory Technology Ethics Network Approach
Literature review: Analysis www.adaptcentre.ie 3 Common traits of the established methods 1. Procedural Steps: • Listing and conceptualising ethical principles and values 1.1. Method for • Gathering empirical data about relevant ethical issues literature selection • Including stakeholders (organising participation) 2. Targeted users: • Ethicists • Researchers/designers 1.2 Results of literature • Managers selection • Social Scientists 3. Position in relation to R&I process: • Ex-ante methods (anticipating future applications) • Intra methods (analysing current design) 1.3 Analysis of the • established methods Ex-post methods (analysing current applications)
II Discussion of methods www.adaptcentre.ie 1. Established Methods 2.1. Criticism of for Practising Ethics in established methods R&I 2. Critique of Established 2.2 Formulation of Methods & recommendations Requirements for a novel method Task : formulating a criticism of established methods, offer recommendations and 3. Framework of 2.3 Formulation of accordingly formulate Narrative Virtue Ethics requirements for a novel requirements for a novel of Technology method method
Discussion: Criticism www.adaptcentre.ie Structured on 5 central challenges mentioned in the literature: 1. Uncertainty: 2. Participation: • • Problem: consequences of Problem: stakeholders without technological change are uncertain background should participate 2.1. Criticism of • • Criticism: methods predicate their Criticism: Methods don’t justify established methods procedures on the assumption stakeholder selection or take that consequences can be context into account and foreseen inadequately include researchers 4. Identification of ethical issues: 3. Ethical technology design: • Problem: a justified identification • Problem: “embed” values or of issues that challenge ethics 2.2 Formulation of virtues in design • Criticism: No account of moving recommendations • Criticism: methods don’t take into from empirical description to account how technologies shape normative evaluation and focus on our values/virtues single type of R&I process 5. Evaluating ethical issues: • Problem: Difficulty of value 2.3 Formulation of conflicts requirements for a novel • Criticism: methods don’t offer method ways for dealing with value conflicts
Discussion: Recommendations www.adaptcentre.ie Recommendations for each challenge: 1. Uncertainty : [1.1] considerations of limits of foresight, [1.2] methods should not only focus on actions but also on acting agent 2.1. Criticism of 2. Participation: [2.1] considerations of justified stakeholder established methods selection, [2.2] taking into account context of stakeholders, [2.3] Having researchers participate in disclosing ethical issues 3. Ethical technology design : [3.1] theoretical considerations of how technologies mediate morality should be included 4. Identification of ethical issues: [4.1] methodological 2.2 Formulation of consideration of arriving at normative claims based on recommendations empirical descriptions, [4.2] different models of R&I should be accounted for 5. Evaluation of ethical issues: [5.1] solving value conflicts should methodologically be accounted for 2.3 Formulation of requirements for a novel method
Discussion: Requirements www.adaptcentre.ie 5 Requirements for a novel method: Challenge: Recommendations: Requirements: 1.1 1. Ethical theory that addresses 2.1. Criticism of 1. Uncertainty uncertainty: virtue ethics 1.2 established methods 2.1 2. Justification of participation and 2. Participation making it accessible: Brey ’ stages 2.2 and participatory approaches 2.3 2.2 Formulation of recommendations 3. Ethical 3. Theory of technological 3.1 technology design mediation: narrative technologies 4. Participatory empirical 4.1 4. Identification exploration of ethical issues: Ethics ethical issues 4.2 Canvas 2.3 Formulation of requirements for a novel method 5. Participatory design 5. Evaluation 5.1 interventions: virtue sensitive ethical issues design
III Framework of narrative virtue ethics of technology www.adaptcentre.ie Task : construct a novel method for practising ethics in R&I 1. Established Methods 3.1. Virtue ethics of for Practising Ethics in technology R&I 2. Critique of Established 3.2 Narrative Methods & technologies Requirements for a novel method 3. Framework of 3.3 Application of the Narrative Virtue Ethics theoretical framework of Technology to R&I practice
Theoretical framework: Virtue Ethics www.adaptcentre.ie Does not focus on But on the agent action 3.1. Virtue ethics of technology “Did she do “How can we help something wrong?” her to do things 3.2 Narrative right?” technologies • Responds to the first requirement • Premises • People have certain character traits – which we call virtues – that allow them to act rightly according to changing circumstances 3.3 Application of the • These virtues are not strictly natural, but can be theoretical framework to R&I practice cultivated through engagement in practices
Theoretical framework: Virtue Ethics www.adaptcentre.ie MacIntyre’s After Virtue * : Theory of development of virtue(s) 3.1. Virtue ethics of Practices: coherent and complex form of socially established technology cooperative […] activity (e.g. playing an instrument) Practices are intelligible through the narrative unity of a human life 3.2 Narrative technologies Place in a moral tradition or community, which provides the practices with normative significance 3.3 Application of the theoretical framework to R&I practice *MacIntyre, A. (2007). After Virtue: A study in moral theory (Third Edit). Notre Dame, Indiana: University of Notre Dame Press.
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