Periodic Reporting for period 4 - ValueChange (Design for changing values: a theory of value change in sociotechnical systems)
Période du rapport: 2023-03-01 au 2024-02-29
One of the key insights from the philosophy of technology is that technologies are not value neutral but support or inhibit certain values. A blind spot is, however, the possibility of value change after a technological artifact or sociotechnical system has been designed. For example, when many of our current energy and transportation systems were designed, sustainability was not yet a central value, and we are now struggling to incorporate this value into these systems. This project derived from the observation that progress in the field was inhibited by the lack of a philosophical understanding of value change in sociotechnical systems. This project aimed to contributing to filling this gap. It has the following more specific objectives: 1) to propose a notion of value that is applicable to sociotechnical systems and that can account for value change, 2) to develop a taxonomy and mechanisms of value change in sociotechnical systems, 3) to extend philosophical analyses of the embedding of values in technological artifacts to sociotechnical systems, 4) to carry out empirical studies about value change in energy systems, and AI (Artificial Intelligence) and robot systems to support the development of a theory of value change, and 5) to develop strategies that can better deal with value change in sociotechnical systems than current value sensitive design approaches.
A main insight from the project is that to understand how values may change over time we may understand them as beliefs about what is valuable. Such beliefs may change over time due to new information or new experiences, or because a society is confronted with new moral problems, e.g. due to the operation of new technologies. Such changes in value beliefs may start individually or locally, but from that spread over time and society. So understood, five types of value changes may be understood in relation to technological design: 1) the emergence of new values, 2) existing values that were not yet relevant for the design of a particular technology may become so, 3) the priority of values may change, 4) the meaning of values may change, and 5) the way values are specified in technical or design requirements may change. To better deal with such value changes in design, three strategies may be employed: improving the anticipation of future value change so that one can timely prepare for them, 2) extend design to the full-life cycle to better deal with value change and 3) to apply particular design strategies that allow dealing with future value change (such as adaptable design).
A main insight from the project is that to understand how values may change over time we may understand them as beliefs about what is valuable. Such beliefs may change over time due to new information or new experiences, or because a society is confronted with new moral problems, e.g. due to the operation of new technologies. Such changes in value beliefs may start individually or locally, but from that spread over time and society. So understood, five types of value changes may be understood in relation to technological design: 1) the emergence of new values, 2) existing values that were not yet relevant for the design of a particular technology may become so, 3) the priority of values may change, 4) the meaning of values may change, and 5) the way values are specified in technical or design requirements may change. To better deal with such value changes in design, three strategies may be employed: improving the anticipation of future value change so that one can timely prepare for them, 2) extend design to the full-life cycle to better deal with value change and 3) to apply particular design strategies that allow dealing with future value change (such as adaptable design).
The first research line has investigated how to understand the notion of value in the context of sociotechnical system design and value change. A main outcome is a monograph that gives an overview of the notion of value in various disciplines. Our finalizing book will propose an understanding of values in the context of sociotechnical systems.
The second research line aimed to develop a better a better philosophical understanding of value change. Various theoretical accounts of value change have been explored, and a special issue on the topic has been published. A main outcome is a proposal for a pragmatist account of value change.
In the third research line, two accounts for value embedding of values in technology based on affordances and intended values have been developed. The latter account extends value embedding to sociotechnical systems.
The fourth research line focused on value change in energy systems. Two special issues (one in Science, Technology and Human Values, and one in Science and Engineering Ethics) have been prepared on this topic. Several relevant articles have been published.
The fifth research line focused on studying value change in AI and robot systems. A main focus of has been on how social robots challenge existing understandings of the value of privacy. A significant number of other publications has also resulted from this research line.
The sixth research line set out to develop strategies to better deal with future value change in sociotechnical systems. In addition this research line has focused on developing new methods for studying and anticipating value change. New methods that were (further) developed are topic modelling , agent-based modelling, interpretative phenomenological analysis, and cross impact balances. An outcome is an accessible white paper which gives an overview of different strategies for dealing with future value change in sociotechnical systems.
Results of the project have been disseminated through numerous publications and presentations at conferences, workshops and other occasions. We organized two conferences, and twelve workshops. We wrote a white paper that make the results of the projects accessible to a larger audience, in particular engineers. A book that summarizes the main outcomes of the project is ready in draft but still needs to be published. We have also reached out to te general public, industry and civil society through, for example, blogs and podcasts, interviews, and videos.
The second research line aimed to develop a better a better philosophical understanding of value change. Various theoretical accounts of value change have been explored, and a special issue on the topic has been published. A main outcome is a proposal for a pragmatist account of value change.
In the third research line, two accounts for value embedding of values in technology based on affordances and intended values have been developed. The latter account extends value embedding to sociotechnical systems.
The fourth research line focused on value change in energy systems. Two special issues (one in Science, Technology and Human Values, and one in Science and Engineering Ethics) have been prepared on this topic. Several relevant articles have been published.
The fifth research line focused on studying value change in AI and robot systems. A main focus of has been on how social robots challenge existing understandings of the value of privacy. A significant number of other publications has also resulted from this research line.
The sixth research line set out to develop strategies to better deal with future value change in sociotechnical systems. In addition this research line has focused on developing new methods for studying and anticipating value change. New methods that were (further) developed are topic modelling , agent-based modelling, interpretative phenomenological analysis, and cross impact balances. An outcome is an accessible white paper which gives an overview of different strategies for dealing with future value change in sociotechnical systems.
Results of the project have been disseminated through numerous publications and presentations at conferences, workshops and other occasions. We organized two conferences, and twelve workshops. We wrote a white paper that make the results of the projects accessible to a larger audience, in particular engineers. A book that summarizes the main outcomes of the project is ready in draft but still needs to be published. We have also reached out to te general public, industry and civil society through, for example, blogs and podcasts, interviews, and videos.
The project combined a number of disciplinary perspectives, particularly a philosophical/conceptual analysis of values and value change, combined with empirical investigations of the phenomenon, and the development of new tools for studying and anticipating value change based on modelling and simulation. This was challenging but also allowed us to move beyond the state of the art in the contributing disciplines as well as interdisciplinary.
In moral philosophy, the project moved beyond the state of the art by proposing value change as an important phenomenon that philosophical theories of value should be able to explain. While related notions like moral progress and moral revolutions have been addressed in the philosophical literature, the emphasis on value change is new. We explored and developed different accounts of value change in the project, including a new pragmatist account of value change. In addition, the book Interdisciplinary Value Theory written by Steffen Steinert advances the research field beyond the state of the art because it is first book-length treatment of values from a broad range of disciplinary perspectives.
The project also significantly contributed to three new methods for studying value change. The first is the use of topic modelling for tracing values and value changes in large text corpora. The new method has been applied to energy technology, value change due to the Corona pandemic and digital technologies. The software for the methodology is available open access. The second is te use of agent-based modelling (ABM) for simulating value change, understanding mechanisms of value change and exploring theories of value change. Although ABM is an existing method, our application to value change is new and innovative. Third, the project has also contributed to the further development of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis and its application to studying value change in technology.
In moral philosophy, the project moved beyond the state of the art by proposing value change as an important phenomenon that philosophical theories of value should be able to explain. While related notions like moral progress and moral revolutions have been addressed in the philosophical literature, the emphasis on value change is new. We explored and developed different accounts of value change in the project, including a new pragmatist account of value change. In addition, the book Interdisciplinary Value Theory written by Steffen Steinert advances the research field beyond the state of the art because it is first book-length treatment of values from a broad range of disciplinary perspectives.
The project also significantly contributed to three new methods for studying value change. The first is the use of topic modelling for tracing values and value changes in large text corpora. The new method has been applied to energy technology, value change due to the Corona pandemic and digital technologies. The software for the methodology is available open access. The second is te use of agent-based modelling (ABM) for simulating value change, understanding mechanisms of value change and exploring theories of value change. Although ABM is an existing method, our application to value change is new and innovative. Third, the project has also contributed to the further development of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis and its application to studying value change in technology.