Technology and Ethics

Co-Chairs:

Evie Kendal, Senior Lecturer at Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Australia
Olya Kudina, Associate Professor, Delft University, the Netherlands and Extraordinary Professor in Philosophy of AI, Optenia Research Unit, North-West University, South Africa
Daniel Tigard, Assistant Professor, University of San Diego and Research Scientist, Institute for Experiential AI, Northeastern University

Scope

The Technology and Ethics working group, founded in the spring of 2002, examines societal, ethical, and public policy questions arising from the adoption of new technologies. Areas of interest include the benefits and ethical challenges posed by genomics, synthetic biology and artificial life, nanotechnology, neuropharmacology, neuroprosthetics and bionics, stem cell research, telemedicine, radical life extension, cryonics, information technology, virtual reality and augmented reality, ubiquitous and pervasive computing, and artificial intelligence.

The group considers what defines being “human” or “intelligent;” moral responsibility for those who design, develop, and deploy new technologies; changes in how society will function under the impact of new technologies; risk assessment; the ramifications of bodily, mental, social, and physical enhancements; and whether computers and robots can be intelligent, show emotions, be conscious, be alive, or make moral decisions. Indeed, the Technology and Ethics working group was seminal in the development of the new field of research known as machine ethics.

At least three courses taught at Yale have been inspired by the group, as well as a yearly seminar on Technology and Ethics for scholars of the Interdisciplinary Center for Bioethics’ internationally recognized summer program.

Membership

We offer events via Zoom and sometimes in-person, based in our co-directors’ locations including the US, the Netherlands, and Melbourne, Australia. To subscribe to the mailing list, please visit  http://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/techethics.

In addition to faculty and students at Yale, membership includes faculty and professionals from across the globe. The group has served to enrich the expertise of members who are authorities in medical informatics, research ethics, machine ethics, and the ethical challenges of technologies that enhance human faculties.