Technology Assessment and Ethics of Technology? An Insider’s Story

This interview with Professor Armin Grunwald, Head of the Institute for Technology Assessment and Systems Analysis (ITAS) at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), offers an in-depth exploration of Technology Assessment (TA) as a conceptual, methodological, and institutional practice. Combining biographical reflection with systematic inquiry, the interview traces the development of Professor Grunwald’s intellectual trajectory and examines how his methodological and conceptual perspectives on TA have evolved in dialogue with philosophy, ethics, and related fields. The interview is structured into six thematic parts. It begins with biographical reflections that situate Grunwald’s engagement with TA within broader academic and institutional contexts, followed by a discussion of his approach to TA and its theoretical underpinnings. The second part examines the interrelations between TA and other disciplines and approaches, including philosophy and ethics of technology, highlighting both complementarities and enduring tensions. The third part addresses political, social, and economic dimensions of TA, with particular attention to questions of policy advice, democratic governance, and the prospects and challenges of “global” TA. ... mehrThis section foregrounds contextual differences between democratic and non-democratic political systems and engages critically with issues of inclusivity, discrimination, power, and privilege within TA practices. The fourth part connects TA to environmental thinking and environmental ethics, exploring how ecological concerns and sustainability considerations shape and challenge established TA frameworks. The fifth part introduces a set of more provocative questions, including reflections on whether and to what extent artificial intelligence and robotic systems might assume tasks traditionally associated with TA. The interview concludes by turning toward the future of TA, addressing the prospective roles of research institutes such as ITAS and revisiting biographical themes in light of ongoing technological development and innovation. Overall, the interview contributes to a nuanced understanding of TA as a reflective, interdisciplinary, and societally embedded field. The reflections and insights of a leading intellectual and experienced insider are intended to stimulate further dialogue between Technology Assessment and neighboring fields of inquiry and practice.