Technology assessment: Analytic and democratic practice

TY - CHAP

T1 - Technology assessment: Analytic and democratic practice

AU - van Est, R.

AU - Brom, F.W.A.

N1 - Reporting year: 2012

PY - 2012

Y1 - 2012

N2 - Technology assessment (TA) is an analytic and democratic practice that aims to contribute to the timely formation of public and political opinion on societal aspects of science and technology. The TA practice is constantly evolving. This article gives an overview of the current TA landscape by describing four TA modes of understanding and performing TA: classical TA, participatory TA, argumentative TA, and constructive TA. These descriptions are guided by three themes: TA as an analytic enterprise inspired by different scientific disciplines, the democratic function of TA, and the practice of TA. Finally, it describes some of the future challenges of TA.

AB - Technology assessment (TA) is an analytic and democratic practice that aims to contribute to the timely formation of public and political opinion on societal aspects of science and technology. The TA practice is constantly evolving. This article gives an overview of the current TA landscape by describing four TA modes of understanding and performing TA: classical TA, participatory TA, argumentative TA, and constructive TA. These descriptions are guided by three themes: TA as an analytic enterprise inspired by different scientific disciplines, the democratic function of TA, and the practice of TA. Finally, it describes some of the future challenges of TA.

U2 - 10.1016/B978-0-12-373932-2.00010-7

DO - 10.1016/B978-0-12-373932-2.00010-7

M3 - Chapter

SN - 978-0-12-373632-1

SP - 306

EP - 320

BT - Encyclopedia of Applied Ethics (2nd edition)

A2 - Chadwick, R.

PB - Academic Press

CY - San Diego

ER -