Ethics of Technology: Questions as to the Codes of Ethics That We Should Apply to Certain Technologies

A question that is not at all new is if our intellectual and societal capacities as organic creatures can successfully keep pace with al of our technological developments. When we let nuclear power plants produce our electricity and when certain fearless geneticists are actually patenting common human gene sequences, it is not at all unreasonable to ask some questions. Whether or not our worst fears of certain technologies are ever realized, it is in many instances better to err on the side of caution. After all, in some instances, it will be precisely this caution which may keep these technologies from overtaking our capacity to handle them.

In relation to certain technologies, there are those who are strongly opposed to some of them and others who are fervent supporters of their development. Some see in cloning technologies, for example, the worst kind of Orwellian scenario encroaching, while others feel that the countless potential positive aspects of this technology far outweigh any negative fears, which they feel are mostly greatly exaggerated, anyway. One point that many proponents of newer technologies are always glad to make is that had disproportional fears about certain technological innovations of previous ages been allowed to hold sway of their development, think of how many positive technologies, which we today take for granted, might never have been developed. Of course, for most people, the truth of the matter is somewhat more ambiguous: cautious progress ensures that the concerns of both sides of the debate are addressed.

Predictably, much of the information on these arguments and their respective merits can be easily found on the Internet. Touching on just about every controversial technology, these web sites offer largely informed and intelligent debates from both the pro- and anti-development groups and also those of the proceed-with-caution persuasion. As always the Internet provides for an interesting and thorough forum on a set of ethical issues which also affects its own development, too.