| The research tries to answer two core questions. 1) What moral and societal consequences of non-invasive monitoring should inform the development of this particular technology? Answering this question implies that we have some knowledge about the consequences of technology that does not yet exist. Here we choose the approach of 'scenario-based design'. We try to anticipate these consequences by exploring intended and unintended applications of the monitoring device; by articulating how the design of the artefact guides the behaviour of its users; and by drawing on a branch of philosophical pragmatism that investigates how technology and morality mutually shape each other. Two focus groups, made-up of technology researchers and medical experts, will also be invited to generate and share their views. In a second stage we explore the choices made during the technological design process, and co-deliberate with the technology developers how the design can reflect the hopes and fears about the future. 2) To what extent and in what form can ethical awareness regarding technological design be raised, nurtured and institutionalized? Building on the case-study performed, the research aims to develop practicable notions of collective and/or distributed responsibility that match the network character of modern technology development - instead of singling out the individual engineer. This will result in suggestions for a protocol. |
