Whereas ethics and technology are usually thought of as two distinct domains – “it is what you do with it that matters!” – there are numerous ways to (re)think the way in which specific products, services included, may afford, pose, resolve, etc. ethical challenges and dilemmas.
Most, if not all, technologies depart from the lab/factory with certain assumptions about the environment in which they are going to work, in other words, they depend on and reinforce the existing given moral order.
A good example of a technology that is tied up to a moral problem is the robotic camel rider:
Desert racing has a long history among Bedouin Arabs and remains a popular and lucrative spectator sport. But the use of child jockeys has been condemned by human rights activists, who allege that jockeys - as young as four years of age - have in the past been kidnapped, kept in prison-like conditions and deliberately underfed for racing.The robots were developed after the United Arab Emirates Camel Racing Association banned the use of jockeys under the age of 16 in March 2004. The age limit for jockeys was increased to 18 in July 2005.
More information here.
We can, of course, think of more mundane artefacts, such as energy-saving light bulbs (‘using too much electricity is wrong’), speed cameras (‘speeding is wrong’) and barn eggs (“hens need space”), in similar terms.
Does the service you are designing come with moral assumptions?
"as young as four years of age - have in the past been kidnapped, kept in prison-like conditions and deliberately underfed for racing."!!!!
You are a liar, Mr.
I'm Bedouin and we don't do that.
Stop lying and racism!!
Posted by: Saif AkoSHoiok | Apr 30, 2009 at 02:17
Social graces and etiquettes are the best ways to be polite.
Posted by: scottsdale hcg doctor | Feb 11, 2011 at 16:00