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  • © 2014

Ethics and Technology Assessment: A Participatory Approach

Authors:

  • Addresses the theory, methods and practice of participatory technology assessment (pTA) in relation to large-scale technological and environmental policies and programs
  • Presents a practical and participatory decision procedure that facilitates the non-specialists' deliberations on the ethical aspects of controversial technologies
  • Develops and discusses an ethical decision-support procedure termed “Reflective Ethical Mapping” (REM), and evaluates it in a practical context: radioactive waste management in nuclear communities

Part of the book series: Studies in Applied Philosophy, Epistemology and Rational Ethics (SAPERE, volume 13)

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Table of contents (8 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages 1-10
  2. Ethics and Technology

    • Matthew Cotton
    Pages 25-41
  3. Ethical Tools

    • Matthew Cotton
    Pages 65-85
  4. Reflective Ethical Mapping

    • Matthew Cotton
    Pages 87-97
  5. Opening Up Ethical Dialogue

    • Matthew Cotton
    Pages 99-128
  6. Judging and Deciding

    • Matthew Cotton
    Pages 129-160
  7. Conclusions

    • Matthew Cotton
    Pages 161-170
  8. Back Matter

    Pages 171-172

About this book

Whether it is nuclear power, geo-engineering or genetically modified foods, the development of new technologies can be fraught with complex ethical challenges and political controversy which defy simple resolution. In the past two decades there has been a shift towards processes of Participatory Technology Assessment designed to build channels of two-way communication between technical specialists and non-expert citizens, and to incorporate multiple stakeholder perspectives in the governance of contentious technology programmes. This participatory turn has spurred a need for new tools and techniques to encourage group deliberation and capture public values, moral and choices. This book specifically examines the ethical dimensions of controversial technologies, and discusses how these can be evaluated in a philosophically robust manner when the ones doing the deliberating are not ethicists, legal or technical experts. Grounded in philosophical pragmatism and drawing upon empirical work in partnership with citizen-stakeholders, this book presents a model called “Reflective Ethical Mapping” - a new meta-ethical framework and toolbox of techniques to facilitate citizen engagement with technology ethics.

Authors and Affiliations

  • Faculty of Social ciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom

    Matthew Cotton

Bibliographic Information

Buy it now

Buying options

eBook USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access