Die konstitutive Rolle von Technik in Der Konstruktivistischen Wissenschaftstheorie. Konsequenzen für die Technikphilosophie

Suumary   The constitutive role of technology in the constructive theory of science. Consequences for the philosophy of technology. Technology plays an important role in the constructivistic reconstructions of the natural sciences. However, there is no in-depth view or thorough explication of the term “technology” and its connotations and relations in those exercises. Technology, there, is seen as a more or less evident part of the lifeworld’s A priori of the natural sciences. This paper is dedicated to the reconstruction of the function of technology in the argumentations chains and proto-theories which shall, in the constructivistic (methodical) theory of sciences, provide the methodical fundament of the sciences. In a second step, the aspects of technology are identified which are indispensable to fulfil the functions of technology in the argumentation chains mentioned above. Finally, these aspects are related to current debates in the philosophy of technology.     

The ethics of assessing health technologies

Health technology assessment (HTA) consists of thesystematic study of the consequences of theintroduction or continued use of the technology in aparticular context, with the explicit objective toarrive at a judgment of the value or merit of thetechnology. Ideally, it is aimed at assessing allaspects of a given technology or group oftechnologies, including non-technical, e.g.socio-ethical, aspects. However, methods for assessingsocio-ethical implications of health technology arerelatively undeveloped and few mechanisms exist totake action based on the results of such evaluations.Still, the examples of cochlear inplants (CI) and other cases illustratethat HTA is not a matter of merely collecting thefacts about a technology. The facts must beplausible and relevant from a particular framework,which is not always shared by different groups. It ishere that socio-ethical aspects are encountered. Ifhealth technology assessment aims to enhance theaccountability of the decision making processregarding funding and use of health technology, it isa major challenge to assessors of health technologiesto deal adequately with existing value pluralism. Inthis respect interactive evaluation may have somethingto offer.     

SPIRITUALITY AND TECHNOLOGY: A THREEFOLD PHILOSOPHICAL REFLECTION

Despite the prominent role that technology plays in twenty-first-century societies, the intersections between spirituality and technology have been poorly analyzed. This article develops a cross-reflection between these two key anthropological aspects, using a philosophical approach that structures the analysis along three classical categories: transcendence, immanence, and relationality. Drawing from ideas of philosophers, such as Heidegger and Merleau-Ponty, the article sheds light on problematic aspects of technology that spirituality helps identify and for which it suggests solutions. Symmetrically, the analysis shows commonly inadvertent aspects of spirituality that technology brings to the fore. All in all, spirituality appears as an essential dimension to cultivate in technological societies, while technology might reveal spirituality as richer and deeper than has been apparent in traditional settings.     

The Good Engineer: Giving Virtue its Due in Engineering Ethics

During the past few decades, engineering ethics has been oriented towards protecting the public from professional misconduct by engineers and from the harmful effects of technology. This "preventive ethics" project has been accomplished primarily by means of the promulgation of negative rules. However, some aspects of engineering professionalism, such as (1) sensitivity to risk (2) awareness of the social context of technology, (3) respect for nature, and (4) commitment to the public good, cannot be adequately accounted for in terms of rules, certainly not negative rules. Virtue ethics is a more appropriate vehicle for expressing these aspects of engineering professionalism. Some of the unique features of virtue ethics are the greater place it gives for discretion and judgment and also for inner motivation and commitment. Four of the many professional virtues that are important for engineers correspond to the four aspects of engineering professionalism listed above. Finally, the importance of the humanities and social sciences in promoting these virtues suggests that these disciplines are crucial in the professional education of engineers.     

Bridging the Gap Between Innovation and ELSA: The TA Program in the Dutch Nano-R&D Program NanoNed

The Technology Assessment (TA) Program established in 2003 as part of the Dutch R&D consortium NanoNed is interesting for what it did, but also as an indication that there are changes in how new science and technology are pursued: the nanotechnologists felt it necessary to spend part of their funding on social aspects of nanotechnology. We retrace the history of the TA program, and present the innovative work that was done on Constructive TA of emerging nanotechnology developments and on aspects of embedding of nanotechnology in society. One achievement is the provision of tools and approaches to help make the co-evolution of technology and society more reflexive. We briefly look forward by outlining its successor program, TA NanoNextNL, in place since 2011.     

Analyse critique des approches de l’acceptation des technologies : de l’utilisabilité à la symbiose humain-technologie-organisation

This article proposes a criticism of the concept of technology acceptance. Starting from a distinction between operational and social acceptance, the authors present an overview of the concepts and notions associated to the paradigm of technology acceptance. Then, they criticize the paradigm and propose the idea that human and technologies are connected by interactions that are so narrow that one can refer to human-machine symbiosis, as Licklider (1960) suggested. The first part of the paper is devoted to the various ergonomic aspects of the operational acceptance (usability, ergonomic criteria, model of the interaction) while the second part addresses the psychosocial aspects of acceptance (Technology Acceptance Model, User Information Satisfaction Theory, Expectancy Disconfirmation Theory, Agile Organizational Development…). The idea behind the authors’ point of view is that technology must not inevitably be thought of as a foreign thing that the human must accept or refuse. From a metaphorical point of view, technology is more and more part of ourselves and behaves like a symbiont. From the time human and technologies start to form coherent and linked units, the relation between human, technology and organization can be apprehended according to a symbiotic approach which considers that human and technologies are connected by strong dependent relationships. In short, this article proposes to consider that the concept of symbiosis is more capable to explain the relationships of human with technology than the acceptance concept.     

台湾人工生殖技术管制之回顾与前瞻

台湾地区人工生殖技术的管制先后经历了道德管制和行政管制两个阶段,目前正积极总结各阶段管制模式的成败得失,努力构造《人工生殖法》的原则和框架,以提高人工生殖技术管制的合法性和有效性。     

网络医疗的发展和思考

随着科学技术、网络技术迅猛的发展,许多互联网业务如网上求医、网上购药、网上保健也日渐火热,成为人们防治疾病的又一手段。网络医疗是网络科技与医疗技术结合的产物,在信息高速发展的今天,它已成为医学交流中一道亮丽的风景线,各国都在不遗余力发展自己的远程医疗系统,这无疑将推动医学模式的进步。然而作为一种新的医疗手段,网络医疗目前仍存在着诸多的弊端和问题,这些问题反过来又可制约网络医疗的发展,因此必须在技术、政策、法律各方面予以完善,使之更好地服务于人类。     

Confidentiality in psychological practice

Confidentiality has long been a cornerstone of trust in the professional relationship between psychologists and their clients. Developments in computer technology, litigation, insurance reimbursement schemes, and changing lifestyles are forcing psychologists to reconsider and refine their approach to respecting this important ethical principle. This article review basic concepts on the matter, and discusses these in light of evolving issues in practice, technology, and the law. Some contrasts in legal and ethical aspects of confidentiality between Australia and the United States are discussed. Recommendations for enhancing attention to confidentiality in one's practice are included.     

The Measurement of Behavioral Complexity

A number of measurement techniques designed to assess cognitive and behavioral complexity are considered. While early measures limit their focus to interpersonal differentiation, later measures consider differentiation, integration, and, in one case, various other aspects of information processing structure. Objective paper-and-pencil measures, subjective response assessment, and simulation technology are briefly described.     

Technologies to Lessen the Distress of Autism

Abstract

This article explores aspects of autism that make it a potential traumatic stressor for family members, and may put them at risk for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and/or its sub-syndromal variants. It also surveys current trends in autism, including the growing number of families affected by autism. Because PTSD and its sub-syndromes can benefit from prevention or at least bolstering the resources of the person and their social support system, this article will then focus on relevant technology trends being used to mediate or ameliorate aspects of living with autism. This technology includes telehealth, distance education, information technology, video-conferencing, and computer software.     

Access to Assistive Technology,Systems Thinking,and Market Shaping: A Response to Durocher et al.

Fairness of access to assistive technology is important for its allocation on an equitable basis and for broader social justice and rights issues. Although the use of Daniels’s notion of “justice as fair opportunity” is helpful to the context of assistive technology, other aspects of Daniels’s broader conceptualisation of “just health” are not appropriate in this context. It is argued that fairness of access to assistive technology is crucial for the equitable attainment of the sustainable development goals; however, such access will be achieved only by the sector developing a much stronger systems thinking and market shaping perspective.     

Technological paternalism: On how medicine has reformed ethics and how technology can refine moral theory

The objective of this article is to investigate ethical aspects of technology through the moral term “paternalism”. The field of investigation is medicine. The reason for this is twofold. Firstly, “paternalism” has gained moral relevance through modern medicine, where physicians have been accused of behaving paternalistic and threatening patients’ autonomy. Secondly, medicine is a brilliant area to scrutinise the evaluative aspects of technology. It is argued that paternalism is a morally relevant term for the ethics of technology, but that its traditional conception is not adequate to address the challenges of modern technology. A modification towards a “technological paternalism” is necessary. That is, “technological paternalism” is a fruitful term in the ethics of technology. Moreover, it is suited to point out the deficiencies of the traditional concept of paternalism and to reform and vitalise the conception of paternalism in ethics in order to handle the challenges of technology.     

Towards a Richer Debate on Tissue Engineering: A Consideration on the Basis of NEST-Ethics

In their 2007 paper, Swierstra and Rip identify characteristic tropes and patterns of moral argumentation in the debate about the ethics of new and emerging science and technologies (or “NEST-ethics”). Taking their NEST-ethics structure as a starting point, we considered the debate about tissue engineering (TE), and argue what aspects we think ought to be a part of a rich and high-quality debate of TE. The debate surrounding TE seems to be predominantly a debate among experts. When considering the NEST-ethics arguments that deal directly with technology, we can generally conclude that consequentialist arguments are by far the most prominently featured in discussions of TE. In addition, many papers discuss principles, rights and duties relevant to aspects of TE, both in a positive and in a critical sense. Justice arguments are only sporadically made, some “good life” arguments are used, others less so (such as the explicit articulation of perceived limits, or the technology as a technological fix for a social problem). Missing topics in the discussion, at least from the perspective of NEST-ethics, are second “level” arguments—those referring to techno-moral change connected to tissue engineering. Currently, the discussion about tissue engineering mostly focuses on its so-called “hard impacts”—quantifiable risks and benefits of the technology. Its “soft impacts”—effects that cannot easily be quantified, such as changes to experience, habits and perceptions, should receive more attention.     

Indoor travel and simple tasks as physical exercise for people with profound multiple disabilities

2 to 4 30-min. periods of indoor travel and simple tasks were arranged daily as physical exercise for two women with profound mental retardation, deafness, and profound visual impairment. The questions were whether (a) the women could manage this fairly extensive exercise regimen (over about 9 and 4.5 mo.) with support technology and only minimal staff supervision and (b) the exercise could affect aspects of the women's physical condition. Data indicated that both women could successfully manage the exercise regimen with support technology, and the exercise seemed to have some beneficial effects on physical aspects such as bone metabolism and step width.     

Philosophy of Technology and Macro-ethics in Engineering

The purpose of this paper is to diagnose and analyze the gap between philosophy of technology and engineering ethics and to suggest bridging them in a constructive way. In the first section, I will analyze why philosophy of technology and engineering ethics have taken separate paths so far. The following section will deal with the so-called macro-approach in engineering ethics. While appreciating the initiative, I will argue that there are still certain aspects in this approach that can be improved. In the third, fourth, and fifth sections, I will point out three shortcomings of engineering ethics in terms of its macro-level discourse and argue that a number of certain insights taken from the study of philosophy of technology could be employed in overcoming those problems. In the concluding section, a final recommendation is made that topics of philosophy of technology be included in the curriculum of engineering ethics.     

The state of research and practice in augmentative and alternative communication for children with developmental/intellectual disabilities

Augmentative and alternative communication is a compilation of methods and technology designed to supplement spoken communication for people with limited speech or language skills, including children with developmental and intellectual disabilities. The field of AAC has evolved rapidly within the last 10 years, due to a combination of empirical advances from research as well as rapid changes in technology. This article reviews some of the most significant aspects of this growth as it relates to children with developmental disabilities. Major issues within the field, the evidence base available to practitioners and researchers, and promising areas of future growth are identified.     

Ethics in the classroom: a reflection on integrating ethical discussions in an introductory course in computer programming

In this paper, we describe our recent approaches to introducing students in a beginning computer science class to the study of ethical issues related to computer science and technology. This consists of three components: lectures on ethics and technology, in-class discussion of ethical scenarios, and a reflective paper on a topic related to ethics or the impact of technology on society. We give both student reactions to these aspects, and instructor perspective on the difficulties and benefits in exposing students to these ideas.     

Through the looking-glass: on the other side of ‘un’conclusive reflections

This qualitative study explored the practices of a Technology Instructional Specialist (TIS) from the reflective vantage point of the specialist herself and multiple data sets collected from classroom teachers she mentored. The study examined the actions and impact of the TIS in assisting individual teachers with technology implementation through a reflective, circular process (i.e. action, reflection, modification, additional action). Data sources were comprised of: (1) survey on teachers’ comfort levels for technology integration in an elementary classroom; (2) teacher interviews; (3) self and teacher reflective assessments of the TIS’s mentoring; and (4) reflective journal notes of the TIS’s experiences. Findings suggest that reflections on and development of differentiated technology mentoring processes and actions conducted within participating teachers’ classrooms impacted their awareness of technology uses and pedagogical application. Most notably, reflections indicate that relational aspects of the TIS and teachers’ interactions impacted the process of technology implementation in participating teachers’ instructional practices. Practical suggestions for practitioners are provided.