Paper short abstract:

Prospective Technology Assessment integrates explicitly ethical considerations in early phases of science and technology development. The fields of applica-tion were so far nuclear and other energy technology research, nano-technosciences, synthetic biology, and AI. Experiences will be discussed.

Paper long abstract:

The concept of Prospective Technology Assessment (ProTA) integrates ethical consideration in early phases of science and technology development – and it aims to reach the research practioneers, technology developpers, politicians, science managers as well as the public. Ethics as such starts with the awareness and recognition of ambivalence of science and of science-based technology. In order to find ways out of the ambivalence, concrete ethical considerations are necessary. ProTA includes elements of the most common concepts of ethics and integrates these in a certain way, as will be shown. It draws on Hans Jonas’ deontological principle of responsibility, which is related to a “heuristic of fear” and a “preservation principle”. Is aims at achieving a “conservative” preservation of our life world and “genuine human life”. The second background is related to Ernst Bloch’s utopian principle of hope, which addresses the “open horizon” of the future. Such an “unfolding principle” is aimed at an “alliance technology” which serves mankind and is concurrently in harmony with nature. Bloch’s approach can be related to some aspects of discourse ethics.

During the last decade a number of ProTA-based projects, that integrate ethical reflec-tion into early phases of science and technology development, have been conducted by adopting the ProTA guidelines and the orientation framework, e.g.: (1) nuclear tech-nology research, (2) energy research, (3) nano-technosciences, (4) synthetic biology, and (5) AI. – We would be happy to exchange our experiences concerning the concep-tual reflections as well as the application of the ProTA concept in concrete projects.