‹#› RS 2225 Class #3 Class Business Anyone need handouts? Topics of Discussion The Story of Tsu-Gung Ethics and Technology McGinn Chapter 9 Alcorn Chapter 10 Exercise on Ethical Frameworks 1

‹#› Four Considerations Pertinent to Ethical Decision Making (McGinn Chap. 1) The Facts of the Matter Empirical data analysis Empirical data on impacts on social groups/society Affected Patients and Their Interests Identify all affected parities with a legitimate stake in the outcome All protectable interests of each stakeholder should be delineated Key Concepts, Criteria, and Principles Concepts, criteria and principles in terms of which the ethical issue or conflict in question is formulated and debated need to be identified. Ethical Theories and Arguments Consequentialist (Utilitarian) “Deontological” (inhernet right or wrong) Neo-Consequentialist 3

‹#› Ethical Theories and Arguments (Ch 1, McGinn) 1.Consequentialist – Rightness or wrongness of actions and policies arrived at based on their estimated consequences. 2.De-ontological – Rightness or wrongness of actions and policies arrived at based on judgments of intrinsic or inherent right or wrong. Ethical challenges How do we deal with ethical questions about the distribution of benefits, costs, and risks associated with scientific and technological developments? In the face of possible unforeseen effects of an innovation how do we arrive at an ethical approach to identification of potential groups impacted and a list of protectable interests? What does McGinn propose? 4

‹#› 3. Neo-consequentialist Approach -Focused on harm and well-being – Directed to identifying and weighing the importance of consequences for the well being of all affected by the technology. -Refined – Designed to look for subtle effects. -Comprehensive – “Designed to attend to all harm and well being related effects—social and cultural as well as economic and physical in nature; of the candidate action, policy, or practice on all pertinent patients, remote as well as present, ‘invisible’ as well as influential.” 5

‹#› Neo-consequentialist Approach -Discriminating – Designed to enable scientific and technological options to be examined critically on a case-by-case basis - Prudent – Embodying an attitude toward safety that, as long as a credible jury is still out or if it has returned hopelessly deadlocked, is as conservative as the magnitude of the possible disaster is large. 6

‹#› Ethics and Technology (Alcorn Ch 2) Choice Evolution Resistance to Change 7

‹#› Ethics and Technology (Ch 2, Alcorn) Choice – Humans choose what technology to develop and how to use it. Expand on this—do all humans have equal input into the technology that is developed? How? Or how not? When we are born do we have complete choice of what technologies we use? Evolution – Humans produce change through the creation of technology rather than mutation. We can very quickly generalize a new “trait” over the entire population. What are the dangers that result from this capability? Resistance to Change – Homeostasis (resistance to changes-a fear of the unknown. This is as much a survival mechanism as the capacity to create technology in the first place. 8

‹#› The Broader Context to Consider Technology has ethical content because of the choice involved in creating it. What do we choose to do and not do? We make choices in a desire to improve our position in life, either individually, collectively, or both. Do we know that our choices are sound ones, and do they truly work to achieve the goals that they are designed to achieve? How does the modification, production, or application of a technology impact overall goals for our lives and those of others? 10