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Ethics and Emerging Technologies
First and only undergraduate textbook that addresses the social and ethical issues associated with a wide array of emerging technologies, including genetic modification, human enhancement, geoengineering, robotics, virtual reality, artificial meat, neurotechnologies, information technologies, nanotechnology, sex selection, and more.
598 pages, Hardcover
First published June 21, 2013
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June 26, 2019
This book’s primary focus is on the potential ethical dilemmas that can arise from emerging technology. The literature touches on a wide variety of technological innovations and categorizes them in very unique and logical way. For the most part, the same themes seem to arrive throughout various parts of the text. Some of the more popular themes in this book are governmental laws, individual responsibilities, moral and ethical problems, and social justice issues. The following are some excerpts from the book that highlight some of these themes.
“When a person, community or culture chooses to adopt a new type of technology, or when it is imposed on them by social or economic pressures or authorities, they very often are adopting a new (or modifying a prior) form of life as well. Therefore, when analyzing an emerging technology it is necessary to consider how it might impact such things as how we spend our time, who we interact with (and how we do so), our dependencies and vulnerabilities, what values we attend to (e.g. aesthetic, cultural, efficiency, or economic), and our perspectives more generally.”(Sandler, 2013, p. 12)
The author argues that when you acquire technology, you are adopting a responsibility that the government needs to address in some form. requires responsibilities. The best example of this is when purchasing a car, and all the laws around the use and ownership of a car. The book argues that there is a problem with the laws trying to keep up with the rapid change of technology that is taking place in this century.
“So if people in distant countries starve; if infant mortality within the inner cities is persistently high; if we feel threatened by nuclear destruction or more insidiously by the effects of chemical pollution, then all that, it is said, should not be blamed on technology, but on its misuse by politicians, the military, big business and others.”(Sandler, 2013, p. 28)
The book argues that technology is amoral and in it of itself is neither good or evil. The author does show on many occasions how technology can be used to help or to cause harm. The author never tries to demonize technology with the literature, but instead argues that we need to think about how we use it, and that it is up to the individual to make positive decisions.
“Research on emerging technologies, particularly genetic technologies, is sometimes described as “playing God.” The “playing God” language appears theological, and sometimes it is intended that way. However, it is often used non-theologically as well. The idea that “playing God” language is meant to capture is that there are types of activities that it is simply wrong for people to engage in.”(Sandler, 2013, p. 15)
The book often makes it’s point using argument based on morality. There are many examples that the book touches on in regards to morality and technology. The idea of human cloning seems to be looked down on worldwide, while other topics are a lot more controversial like sex selection. The author does try to help the reader think about when technology should help and when it shouldn’t. It asks questions on whether we should use technology to help the infertile, or to modify food.
“The term ‘digital divide’ roughly refers to a series of gaps between information and computer technology (ICT) haves and have-nots. These gaps include differences in access to information, access to appropriate ICT hardware and software, literacy rates, and ICT skill-sets. Moreover, these gaps include those between developed and developing nations and those between rich and poor in developed nations.”(Sandler, 2013, p.333)
There are many times that the book talks about the inequalities that come from technology. Many innovative ideas and technological inventions are constantly being created, but not everyone can afford it. This creates a series of problems, and can create potential dangers when countries the U.S. have advanced war technology that is unmatched by any other country.
Critique
Overall the book does an excellent job of touching on nearly every conceivable form of technology. It categorizes all of the technology and brings up the themes of inequities, individual/social responsibility, and the moral problems that arise from each type of technology.
I liked the neutral position the author takes on whether certain uses of technology are ethically moral or not. When it talks about the actual technology however, the author does take a stance. The author is adamant about how technology can create amazing things, but it is humans who corrupt it.
One aspect of the book that I do not necessarily agree with is the amount of responsibility the author places on the individual. The author does argue that it is difficult to blame society or government institutions for the misuse of technology, and that it is easier to focus on specific individual situations. However, I believe that there are some technological dilemmas such as forced technology like credit cards or privacy issues dealing with surveillance that the individual has no power over.
About the Author
Ronald Sandler is a professor of philosophy who has written many books related to ethical issues. While focusing on technology for this particular book, his main focus of writing and research usually revolves around ethical issues involving the environment. He is the chair of the department of philosophy and religion at Northeastern University.
For the book Ethics and Emerging Technologies, Ronald Sandler collaborated with other authors who have each researched various forms of technology. Besides the book Ethics and Emerging Technologies, Ronald Sandler has written other books such as Environmental Ethics: Theory in Practice, Food Ethics: The Basics, The Ethics of Species, and Character and Environment: A Virtue-Oriented Approach to Environmental Ethics. Ronald Sandler not only writes, and teaches philosophy, but is also a researcher in nanotechnology.
“When a person, community or culture chooses to adopt a new type of technology, or when it is imposed on them by social or economic pressures or authorities, they very often are adopting a new (or modifying a prior) form of life as well. Therefore, when analyzing an emerging technology it is necessary to consider how it might impact such things as how we spend our time, who we interact with (and how we do so), our dependencies and vulnerabilities, what values we attend to (e.g. aesthetic, cultural, efficiency, or economic), and our perspectives more generally.”(Sandler, 2013, p. 12)
The author argues that when you acquire technology, you are adopting a responsibility that the government needs to address in some form. requires responsibilities. The best example of this is when purchasing a car, and all the laws around the use and ownership of a car. The book argues that there is a problem with the laws trying to keep up with the rapid change of technology that is taking place in this century.
“So if people in distant countries starve; if infant mortality within the inner cities is persistently high; if we feel threatened by nuclear destruction or more insidiously by the effects of chemical pollution, then all that, it is said, should not be blamed on technology, but on its misuse by politicians, the military, big business and others.”(Sandler, 2013, p. 28)
The book argues that technology is amoral and in it of itself is neither good or evil. The author does show on many occasions how technology can be used to help or to cause harm. The author never tries to demonize technology with the literature, but instead argues that we need to think about how we use it, and that it is up to the individual to make positive decisions.
“Research on emerging technologies, particularly genetic technologies, is sometimes described as “playing God.” The “playing God” language appears theological, and sometimes it is intended that way. However, it is often used non-theologically as well. The idea that “playing God” language is meant to capture is that there are types of activities that it is simply wrong for people to engage in.”(Sandler, 2013, p. 15)
The book often makes it’s point using argument based on morality. There are many examples that the book touches on in regards to morality and technology. The idea of human cloning seems to be looked down on worldwide, while other topics are a lot more controversial like sex selection. The author does try to help the reader think about when technology should help and when it shouldn’t. It asks questions on whether we should use technology to help the infertile, or to modify food.
“The term ‘digital divide’ roughly refers to a series of gaps between information and computer technology (ICT) haves and have-nots. These gaps include differences in access to information, access to appropriate ICT hardware and software, literacy rates, and ICT skill-sets. Moreover, these gaps include those between developed and developing nations and those between rich and poor in developed nations.”(Sandler, 2013, p.333)
There are many times that the book talks about the inequalities that come from technology. Many innovative ideas and technological inventions are constantly being created, but not everyone can afford it. This creates a series of problems, and can create potential dangers when countries the U.S. have advanced war technology that is unmatched by any other country.
Critique
Overall the book does an excellent job of touching on nearly every conceivable form of technology. It categorizes all of the technology and brings up the themes of inequities, individual/social responsibility, and the moral problems that arise from each type of technology.
I liked the neutral position the author takes on whether certain uses of technology are ethically moral or not. When it talks about the actual technology however, the author does take a stance. The author is adamant about how technology can create amazing things, but it is humans who corrupt it.
One aspect of the book that I do not necessarily agree with is the amount of responsibility the author places on the individual. The author does argue that it is difficult to blame society or government institutions for the misuse of technology, and that it is easier to focus on specific individual situations. However, I believe that there are some technological dilemmas such as forced technology like credit cards or privacy issues dealing with surveillance that the individual has no power over.
About the Author
Ronald Sandler is a professor of philosophy who has written many books related to ethical issues. While focusing on technology for this particular book, his main focus of writing and research usually revolves around ethical issues involving the environment. He is the chair of the department of philosophy and religion at Northeastern University.
For the book Ethics and Emerging Technologies, Ronald Sandler collaborated with other authors who have each researched various forms of technology. Besides the book Ethics and Emerging Technologies, Ronald Sandler has written other books such as Environmental Ethics: Theory in Practice, Food Ethics: The Basics, The Ethics of Species, and Character and Environment: A Virtue-Oriented Approach to Environmental Ethics. Ronald Sandler not only writes, and teaches philosophy, but is also a researcher in nanotechnology.
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December 18, 2021Summary
Ethics and Emerging Technologies, edited by Ronald L. Sandler, is a compilation by many authors on the ethics of emerging technology. Although it is long (583 pages), it reads quickly because it is so apropos to the 21st century. The editor’s goal is “to help students develop linguistic, conceptual, critical, and perspectival resources for thinking carefully about the ethics of new technologies” (Sandler, 2014, p.1). Sandler discusses “extrinsic concerns” of technology, such as safety, access, equality, individual rights/ liberties, and identity; he next probes “intrinsic concerns” of emerging technologies, such as “playing God” and hubris. Finally, varying views by different authors on the ethics of emergent technologies in education and other domains are explored.
The book is divided into nine sections. Part I is “A general reflection on ethics and technology”, Part II discusses reproductive technologies, Part III tackles biometric and therapeutic technology, and Part IV looks at “Human enhancement technologies.” Part V, “Information technologies”, delves into the ethics of surveillance, privacy, intellectual property, and virtual reality/ avatars. The remainder, Parts VI- IX, deals with robotics, AI, environment, agriculture, and synthetic genomes/ artificial life.
Part V is the section most relevant to education. Sandler defines information technologies as “technologies that generate, transmit, receive, store, process, access, or analyze data” and emphasizes the huge impact technologies– including educational technologies– have on society (Sandler, 2014, p.267). He suggests that information technologies have impacted children and teens in school by shaping social interactions, whether for good or bad (Sandler, 2014, p.2). For example, three negative effects of kids playing computer games are addiction, aggression, and maladjustment (Sandler, 2014, p.325). While we as teachers see technology in the classroom as advantageous, this book sets forth the dangers of using too much technology, even in education. For example, playing VR (Virtual Reality) video games repeatedly “erodes one’s character and reinforces ‘virtueless’ habits” (Sandler, 2014, p.322). In addition, when students use avatars in RPG’s, “some users may identify [so] closely with their avatar… that anything that happens to their avatar also happens to them” (Sandler, 2014, p.323). Evidence is also presented showing a deterioration of the student’s humanity, since the “ambiguity [of virtual reality] can lead to moral confusion” (Sandler, 2014, p.323). Finally, the book elaborates on the ability of computer games to generate values in teens and children, whether for good or bad. For example, popular games like “The Sims” or “Minecraft” may “prioritize certain values and interests over others” due to embedded biases in the games’ creators (Sandler, 2014, p.327). Thus, it becomes clear that although emerging technology (even as it relates to education) can have many benefits, they are not without some serious risks.
Critique
Although the book seems to present many disparate topics on emerging technologies, I saw one continual thread woven throughout: the dangers of all-encompassing technology. Even in discussions on emerging educational technologies, haunting dangers of a dystopian society highlighted the discussions. The titles of many Sci-Fi movies came to mind: The Matrix, Terminator 2, Total Recall, Avatar, and Minority Report. The repeated question regarding these technologies was if they are morally and ethically appropriate to use. My thought is that we should not allow emerging technologies to have power over our students to the extent that they lose their place in the universe. In the chapter “The Singularity is Near”, Ray Kurzweil presents a chilling chart showing the exponential growth of artificial intelligence. It shows AI as reaching the number of calculations equal to one human’s brain by 2020, but projects this same AI growth to equal all humans’ brains by 2050 (Sandler, 2014, p.396)! While some may welcome the change, I for one am staunchly opposed to giving machines precedence and rulership over humans, even if it is through the seemingly innocuous use of VR or AR in the classroom. In my opinion, the kids of today need more, not less, human-to-human interaction.
Author’s Qualifications
The author of Ethics and Emerging Technologies, Ronald Sandler, seems to be well-qualified in his field of expertise. Sandler is a professor of philosophy. He is also Chair of the Philosophy and Religion Department at Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts, as well as the Director of the Ethics Institute at the same college. He earned his Ph.D. in Philosophy in 2001. What surprised me most about this book was Sandler’s ability to clearly and eloquently sum up the depth of import regarding the ethics of emerging technologies. He is a teacher through and through, and speaks from his experience in education. The relevance of the book’s topics discussed, even though it was published back in 2014, gives me confidence that Sandler knows what he’s talking about. He carefully selects different authors from both sides of the ethical divide, allowing the reader to make their own conclusions. He is an artful wordsmith and carefully paints a detailed picture of modern and future trends by citing research and qualified authors to present his case. My recommendation is to all who seek to explore the hidden dangers of emerging technologies in education and other diverse domains? Read this book. You’ll be glad you did, but be warned: You’ll never view technology in quite the same way again.
Ethics and Emerging Technologies, edited by Ronald L. Sandler, is a compilation by many authors on the ethics of emerging technology. Although it is long (583 pages), it reads quickly because it is so apropos to the 21st century. The editor’s goal is “to help students develop linguistic, conceptual, critical, and perspectival resources for thinking carefully about the ethics of new technologies” (Sandler, 2014, p.1). Sandler discusses “extrinsic concerns” of technology, such as safety, access, equality, individual rights/ liberties, and identity; he next probes “intrinsic concerns” of emerging technologies, such as “playing God” and hubris. Finally, varying views by different authors on the ethics of emergent technologies in education and other domains are explored.
The book is divided into nine sections. Part I is “A general reflection on ethics and technology”, Part II discusses reproductive technologies, Part III tackles biometric and therapeutic technology, and Part IV looks at “Human enhancement technologies.” Part V, “Information technologies”, delves into the ethics of surveillance, privacy, intellectual property, and virtual reality/ avatars. The remainder, Parts VI- IX, deals with robotics, AI, environment, agriculture, and synthetic genomes/ artificial life.
Part V is the section most relevant to education. Sandler defines information technologies as “technologies that generate, transmit, receive, store, process, access, or analyze data” and emphasizes the huge impact technologies– including educational technologies– have on society (Sandler, 2014, p.267). He suggests that information technologies have impacted children and teens in school by shaping social interactions, whether for good or bad (Sandler, 2014, p.2). For example, three negative effects of kids playing computer games are addiction, aggression, and maladjustment (Sandler, 2014, p.325). While we as teachers see technology in the classroom as advantageous, this book sets forth the dangers of using too much technology, even in education. For example, playing VR (Virtual Reality) video games repeatedly “erodes one’s character and reinforces ‘virtueless’ habits” (Sandler, 2014, p.322). In addition, when students use avatars in RPG’s, “some users may identify [so] closely with their avatar… that anything that happens to their avatar also happens to them” (Sandler, 2014, p.323). Evidence is also presented showing a deterioration of the student’s humanity, since the “ambiguity [of virtual reality] can lead to moral confusion” (Sandler, 2014, p.323). Finally, the book elaborates on the ability of computer games to generate values in teens and children, whether for good or bad. For example, popular games like “The Sims” or “Minecraft” may “prioritize certain values and interests over others” due to embedded biases in the games’ creators (Sandler, 2014, p.327). Thus, it becomes clear that although emerging technology (even as it relates to education) can have many benefits, they are not without some serious risks.
Critique
Although the book seems to present many disparate topics on emerging technologies, I saw one continual thread woven throughout: the dangers of all-encompassing technology. Even in discussions on emerging educational technologies, haunting dangers of a dystopian society highlighted the discussions. The titles of many Sci-Fi movies came to mind: The Matrix, Terminator 2, Total Recall, Avatar, and Minority Report. The repeated question regarding these technologies was if they are morally and ethically appropriate to use. My thought is that we should not allow emerging technologies to have power over our students to the extent that they lose their place in the universe. In the chapter “The Singularity is Near”, Ray Kurzweil presents a chilling chart showing the exponential growth of artificial intelligence. It shows AI as reaching the number of calculations equal to one human’s brain by 2020, but projects this same AI growth to equal all humans’ brains by 2050 (Sandler, 2014, p.396)! While some may welcome the change, I for one am staunchly opposed to giving machines precedence and rulership over humans, even if it is through the seemingly innocuous use of VR or AR in the classroom. In my opinion, the kids of today need more, not less, human-to-human interaction.
Author’s Qualifications
The author of Ethics and Emerging Technologies, Ronald Sandler, seems to be well-qualified in his field of expertise. Sandler is a professor of philosophy. He is also Chair of the Philosophy and Religion Department at Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts, as well as the Director of the Ethics Institute at the same college. He earned his Ph.D. in Philosophy in 2001. What surprised me most about this book was Sandler’s ability to clearly and eloquently sum up the depth of import regarding the ethics of emerging technologies. He is a teacher through and through, and speaks from his experience in education. The relevance of the book’s topics discussed, even though it was published back in 2014, gives me confidence that Sandler knows what he’s talking about. He carefully selects different authors from both sides of the ethical divide, allowing the reader to make their own conclusions. He is an artful wordsmith and carefully paints a detailed picture of modern and future trends by citing research and qualified authors to present his case. My recommendation is to all who seek to explore the hidden dangers of emerging technologies in education and other diverse domains? Read this book. You’ll be glad you did, but be warned: You’ll never view technology in quite the same way again.
February 21, 2018
In "Ethics and Emerging Technologies," Ronald L. Sandler brings awareness to the ethical and social issues that arise with emerging technologies. Sandler questions an array of aspects of technology that often go overlooked. Ultimately, Sandler wants to shed light on how technology is affecting our society through ethical reflections. Sandler stresses that our society has a moral responsibility to reflect on the impacts of new technologies and if they are for the greater good. Technology is the “primary driver of social and ecological change. It is a source of power, vulnerability, and inequality. It influences our perspectives and mediates our relationships. Given this, it is surprising that we spend so little time studying, analyzing, and evaluating new technologies” (Sandler 1). Readers begin to question, why is this not an issue discussed more and how can we effectively reflect when technology is advancing so quickly?
Sandler draws on the idea that we must “illustrate the importance of attending to social context when developing and implementing technologies so that they are well fitted to the conditions of their use” (Sandler 25). Technology is a component that shapes all aspects of human interaction in the world. Are we questioning the role of technology enough? Do we consider the change it will have on human life? Before reading this, I admit that I take technology at face value and do not take time to reflect on its impact on my daily life. If many people in our society are also unaware, then we should fear for our future. Technology is a powerful resource and should be recognized and treated as such. “Technology increases our power of acting or capacity to bring about change in the world. Therefore, we need a corresponding increase in our understanding of the scope of our responsibility” (Sandler 25). It is our world, therefore, our responsibility to not take the issue lightly. Sandler hopes by stressing these points that it will open our eyes to the influence technology has on our lives. We must consider “the ways in which technology reconfigures social institutions, relationships, and possibilities” (Sandler 25).
Not only must we acknowledge how technology transforms our society, but also the moral responsibilities we have for the ways we implement it. Sandler covers many controversial topics such as technology used for reproduction, human stem cell research, sex selection, neurosurgery, essential medicines, and moral enhancements. He addresses these topics with a new perspective which allows the reader to question their understandings of the issues at hand. When discussing reproductive technology he asserts that it is “ethically controversial in part because they challenge norms and expectations regarding reproduction, family and parenting” (Sandler 62). Sandler presents his argument on essential medicines and concern for our ability to “develop rapidly emerging and potentially powerful human health technologies in safe, just, and ethically responsible ways” (122). How far are we willing to go? If we reflect on the studies of social media and the impact it has had on our society, we can see it is a component that has negatively impacted our youth. Anxiety, depression, stress, and suicide rates have been steadily increasing. Could this have been avoided if we took the necessary precautions before putting it into the hands of children?
For each controversial topic, Sandler effectively builds on the idea that we have a moral duty to think of our future generations. Sandler ends claiming that in the distant future “the rate of technological innovation will increase exponentially, and that as a result we will soon enter a period of such rapid technological change that all aspects of our form of life will be radically transformed” (348). Sandler opened my eyes to the power technology has on our society and it should be a concern to everyone. If we do not ask these difficult questions, we may lead our future into a world of destruction. We must all become more aware and conscious of our actions for the sake of our future.
Sandler, Ronald L. Ethics and emerging technologies. Palgrave Macmillan, 2014.
Sandler draws on the idea that we must “illustrate the importance of attending to social context when developing and implementing technologies so that they are well fitted to the conditions of their use” (Sandler 25). Technology is a component that shapes all aspects of human interaction in the world. Are we questioning the role of technology enough? Do we consider the change it will have on human life? Before reading this, I admit that I take technology at face value and do not take time to reflect on its impact on my daily life. If many people in our society are also unaware, then we should fear for our future. Technology is a powerful resource and should be recognized and treated as such. “Technology increases our power of acting or capacity to bring about change in the world. Therefore, we need a corresponding increase in our understanding of the scope of our responsibility” (Sandler 25). It is our world, therefore, our responsibility to not take the issue lightly. Sandler hopes by stressing these points that it will open our eyes to the influence technology has on our lives. We must consider “the ways in which technology reconfigures social institutions, relationships, and possibilities” (Sandler 25).
Not only must we acknowledge how technology transforms our society, but also the moral responsibilities we have for the ways we implement it. Sandler covers many controversial topics such as technology used for reproduction, human stem cell research, sex selection, neurosurgery, essential medicines, and moral enhancements. He addresses these topics with a new perspective which allows the reader to question their understandings of the issues at hand. When discussing reproductive technology he asserts that it is “ethically controversial in part because they challenge norms and expectations regarding reproduction, family and parenting” (Sandler 62). Sandler presents his argument on essential medicines and concern for our ability to “develop rapidly emerging and potentially powerful human health technologies in safe, just, and ethically responsible ways” (122). How far are we willing to go? If we reflect on the studies of social media and the impact it has had on our society, we can see it is a component that has negatively impacted our youth. Anxiety, depression, stress, and suicide rates have been steadily increasing. Could this have been avoided if we took the necessary precautions before putting it into the hands of children?
For each controversial topic, Sandler effectively builds on the idea that we have a moral duty to think of our future generations. Sandler ends claiming that in the distant future “the rate of technological innovation will increase exponentially, and that as a result we will soon enter a period of such rapid technological change that all aspects of our form of life will be radically transformed” (348). Sandler opened my eyes to the power technology has on our society and it should be a concern to everyone. If we do not ask these difficult questions, we may lead our future into a world of destruction. We must all become more aware and conscious of our actions for the sake of our future.
Sandler, Ronald L. Ethics and emerging technologies. Palgrave Macmillan, 2014.
September 9, 2019
Whilst I will wait to read it, I am finding that my research about the book has led me to finding many of the chapters online albeit as free pdf's from past research. So basically this book is a put together collage of papers that are out there and free for people to read and sometimes from eg 2003 so quite out of date as far as "emerging technologies" are concerned. So I have it to read but I will read my in the public domain chapters first!
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