Open Evolution and Human Agency: The Pragmatics of Upstream Ethics in the Design of Artificial Life
Open Evolution and Human Agency: The Pragmatics of Upstream Ethics in the Design of Artificial Life
This chapter argues that ethical reflection must be an integral part of the development of protocell science and technology. It presents a representative example of a body of research in artificial life connected with the design of a self-assembling membrane, and shows how this new, hybrid science undermines the conditions for a traditional post hoc, downstream mode of ethical reflection. This chapter shows that traditional ethical analysis is closely intertwined with a specific view of science and technology. It suggests that upstream ethics cannot be viewed as a simple adjunct to science.
Keywords: protocell, science and technology, artificial life, self-assembling membrane, hybrid science, traditional ethical analysis, upstream ethics, ethical reflection
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