CHAPTER 7: ETHICAL AND SOCIAL DIMENSIONS OF
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Human Right to Science and Technology:
 Universal Declaration of Human Rights
(UDHR) – adopted and proclaimed by the
United Nations General Assembly in Paris
on December 10, 1948. It lays out
fundamental human rights.
- Contains preamble and 30 articles –
“recognition of the inherent dignity
and of the equal and inalienable rights
of all members of the human family is
the foundation of freedom , justice,
and peace in the world”
Article 1 – Right to equality
Article 2 – Freedom from discrimination
Article 3 – Right to life, liberty, personal
security
Article 4 – freedom from slavery or
servitude
Article 5 – Freedom from torture and
degrading treatment
Article 15 – International Covenant on
Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
Covenant (December 16, 1966)
Article 27 – “everyone has the right to
participate in the cultural life of the
community and to share in scientific
advancement and its benefits”; rights to
science and culture
Ethical Dimension of Science and Technology:
 1945, trials; Nuremberg trials, Doctor’s trial
– Nuremberg code was drafted (contained
ten points) a landmark document in clinical
research ethics.
 Declaration of Helsinki – published by the
World Medical Association 1975
 Applies ethics – ethics or moral philosophy;
examines abortion, animal rights, and
environmental concerns.
 Ethics serves the purpose of providing a
moral point of view
Ethical Decision-making in Science:
 Essential elements in making decisions:
1. Identifying stakeholders
2. Identifying options/course of action
3. Review arguments for each option
4. Making a rational choice
 Medical ethics: autonomy, non-
maleficence, beneficence, justice
 Ethical matrix – developed by Ben Mepham
(1990s); assists non-philosophers in
appreciating the value of ethical insights.
- First applied to biotechnologies
(genetically modified)
- Well-being – maximization of good
- Autonomy - freedom
- Fairness – respect for justice and law
 Modified ethical matrix – scoring system
 Ethical Delphi
 Consensus conferences
 Convergence seminars
Code of Ethics of Scientists and Engineers:
 Code of Ethics – guide scientists and
engineers to perform their work in an
ethical manner; authoritative reminders of
the rules and duties. Morally and legally
1. Establish standards of conduct in
cases not dictated by common sense
2. Formulate rules to govern a practice
or discipline
3. Providing a framework for resolving
conflicts
4. Manage the expectation of the
public in a practice or discipline
 Hippocratic Oath – used by medical
practitioners.
- American Medical Association (AMA)
- Code of Medical Ethics and the
Declaration of Geneva by World
Medical Association (WMA)
  National Academy of Science and
Technology (NAST) – Ethical Principles and
Guidelines for Filipino Scientists (2009); to
achieve a high level of professional and
ethical behavior.
- Preamble: Scientific research as a
public trust
- Consists of preamble and 8 principles:
1. Ethical scientific practices – abide,
criticize, and rectify wrongful behavior
2. Ethical use of science in Philippine
society – for advancement of nation.
3. Conflict of interest – refrain making
biased judgments.
4. Intellectual honesty – acknowledge
5. Weighing the benefits of science vis-
à-vis potential harm – should strive
6. Commitment to professional
development as scientists – improve
competency; constructive criticisms
7. Development of student and other
stakeholders – committed; role model
8. Advocacy for scientific approaches –
protect the freedom
 NSPE Code of Ethics for Engineers – by
National Society of Professional Engineers
- Preamble, fundamental canons, rules
of practice, professional obligations
- Should be honest, impartial, fair
 Code of Ethic for the Chemistry
Practitioners
– Article 1: chemistry professionals have
an obligation to the society.
– Section 3: abide by rules and regulations
protecting the environment.
– Science is also community endeavor
Social Dimension of Science and Technology: the
Device Paradigm
 Technology – techniques and processes
used to achieve a certain purpose;
knowledge; object, knowledge, activity,
intention – commitment to a goal
 1984, Albert Borgmann – three types of
approaches to technology:
- Substantive – force of its own; shaping
society w/out intervention
- Instrumentalist – mere instrument to
achieve social values.
- Pluralist – dynamic interactions
between technology and social values as
complex web.
- Promise of technology – “bring the
forces of nature and culture under
control. To liberate us from misery and
toil, enrich our lives.”
- Device paradigm – things are
distinguished from devices; tool used as
a means to an end.
- Woodstove – physical & social
engagement; provides warmth:
instantaneous, ubiquitous, safe, easy
Robotics: Examples of Contemporary Issue in
Science and Technology
 The Singularity is Near: When Humans
Transcend Human Biology (Ray Kurzweil) –
capable of driving the society to singularity
- Genetics, nanotechnology, robotics
- Bill Joy – Sun Microsystems, threaten
Background on Robotics
 Robotics – use and developments of robots
(1921) - programmable machines that are
capable of motion and interaction with
their surroundings
 Artificial Intelligence – develop intelligent
computational systems
 Rossum’s Universal Robots – Karel Capek;
creation of machines, humanoid slaves.
Robota (Czech) – forced labor
 International Federation of Robotics:
- Service robots – domestic and field
applications
- Industrial robots – industrial setting
- ISO 8373:2012 – service robots:
perform useful task for humans or
 equipment excluding industrial  2017 Future Investment Summit: Saudi,
automation applications”; industrial Arabia; granted Sophia a Saudi Arabian
robots: automatically controlled, citizenship
reprogrammable, multipurpose
manipulators programmable in three or
more axes.
- Unimate – George Devol (1954) –
Unimation, Inc. (1956) Joseph
Engelberger “father of robotics”
- Autonomy
Roboethics and Ethical Issues in Advanced
Robotics
 Roboethics – existence of robots, imminent
integration to society (Gianmarco Veruggio)
 1940s; Isaac Asimov – Three Laws of
Robotics:
1. May note injure a human being
2. Must obey orders given by human
beings
3. Must protect its own existence
- Zeroth Law of Robotics: should not
bring harm to humanity
- Issues: autonomy, human-robot
relations, warfare applications, digital
divide
- Aims to develop scientific, cultural,
technical
- Surgical robots – surgeons
- Telesurgery – surgeon and patient;
distant
- Producer, programmer, owner
 Robotic liability matrix – assigns weights to
the liabilities
 Social robots – interacting with humans in a
human-like fashion
- ASIMO (Advanced Step in Innovative
Mobility) by Honda; bipedal robot;
integrating domestic environments
- Sophia by Hanson Robotics; human-like
robot; AI equipped service