4TU.Centre for Ethics and Technology

Statement 4TU.Ethics against use of technology for violence

The 4TU Centre for Ethics and Technology is distraught by the ongoing brutalities against innocent people in many places of the world today. We continue to uphold our vision statement of “a world in which technology is developed and used for the benefit of humanity and the preservation of our planet. It is a world in which ethical considerations concerning human rights, well-being, global and inter-generational justice, and the social good are systematically included in practices of technology and engineering”.

This is an ideal vision indeed. Throughout human history, technology has been applied to suppress, attack, and destroy innocent people and their habitats. The continuation of this history in our times neither renders our ideal superfluous, nor does it absolve us of the task to pursue its realization. The 4TU Centre for Ethics and Technology therefore has been and remains dedicated to the ethical analysis, assessment, and improvement of our technological practices. Our mission statement accordingly reads:

4TU.Ethics is a community of researchers that aims to stimulate and perform research in the field of ethics and technology, both fundamental and applied. We aim to address societal challenges in the context of a globalized and inter-connected world. Our goal is to advance understanding of ethical issues in engineering and technology development. 4TU.Ethics also aims to contribute to better practices in these areas, to innovate education in the ethics of technology, and to engage with societal stakeholders and public discussions about technology.