On 15 October, Philosopher of Technology Peter-Paul Verbeek will give his inaugural speech at the University of Twente. His research examines the relationship between humans and technology and asks: What are the limits of humanity?
We often make a distinct separation between humans and technology. Undeservedly so, according to Verbeek, who believes it is impossible to make such a distinction. People are technological beings by nature. What's more, people and technology are becoming increasingly intertwined. The convergence of nanotechnology, biotechnology, information technology and cognitive neuroscience has created more opportunities for technological intervention in humans. We therefore need new frameworks to understand human beings and to formulate ethical questions.
Verbeek cites several examples of this in his speech. "For example, here at the University of Twente, Clemens van Blitterswijk's research department is developing new techniques for growing human tissue from stem cells. These advances in technology allow us to repair holes in the bone caused by cancer... A further example is the work being carried out by the research group led by Albert van den Berg, which is using nanotechnology to develop labs-on-a-chip. These chips can be swallowed as a pill and used to diagnose gastrointestinal cancer at any early stage.
DEEP BRAIN STIMULATION
Verbeek cites Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) as a third example of the interdependence between humans and technology. "This technology, also developed at the University of Twente, helps to reduce the symptoms of Parkinson's disease. Electrodes are placed deep in the brain to stimulate certain brain areas. In many cases, not only are the symptoms of Parkinson's disease reduced but patients often undergo a personality change as well. The patient is a different person with the machine switched on." Verbeek notes that this raises several ethical questions. "How can a person with a DBS still be 'themselves'? How can we strike a balance between the importance of reducing the symptoms and the sometimes radical personality change that takes place in people? And how can we develop and apply this technology responsibly?"
BORDER BOARD
Verbeek is of the opinion that, to date, ethicists have been too quick to adopt the role of border guard in determining the extent to which technology may penetrate human lives. "It's the role of ethics committees to apply the emergency brake as soon as technology penetrates too deeply into this arena. That's the general idea anyway. But an ethicist who merely seeks to set limits is not engaged in debate and therefore pulls on an emergency brake that is not connected to anything."
Verbeek claims that the human being has embodied technological characteristics from the outset. Furthermore, the technological developments referred to above make it increasingly difficult to draw a line between the two. The professor is therefore calling for a different approach to ethics: an approach whereby ethicists relinquish their role as border guard and assume an active role in the development and embedding of technology. "Ethicists should not oppose technologists but rather work together using critical thinking. Instead of monitoring the border between humans and technology, ethicists should search for a responsible bridge between the two. Rather than judging technology from afar, the ethicists' key task should be to supervise technological developments."
The Philosopher of Technology is, however, keen to point out that this should not preclude our collective critical awareness or evaluation of new technological developments. "The opposite is true: only by taking the interaction between humans and technology seriously and by thinking it through properly, can ethics influence the design and use of technology."
CV
Peter-Paul Verbeek (1970) is Professor of Philosophy of Technology at the University of Twente and director of the Master's programme in Philosophy of Science, Technology, and Society. He is currently working on a VIDI project, which examines the ethical and anthropological boundaries between humans and technology. Since 2009, Verbeek has been a member of the 'Young Academy', which is part of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences. His inaugural speech will be held at 16:00 on 15 October in the Grote Kerk in the old market square in Enschede. A digital copy of his speech "The limits of humanity: technology, ethics and human nature" is available on request from Joost Bruysters (+31-(0)53-4892773).
