In the background of Mary Shelley’s life was a very public debate between two prominent doctors beginning in 1815: John Abernethy and William Lawrence, both faculty at the Royal College of Surgeons. Lawrence was Shelley’s doctor. There was a clash in their philosophies that emerged in public lectures. Abernethy’s belief about life is more harmonious with Judeo-Christian faith: that there is an essence that renders organic matter different from the inorganic and that human life is fundamentally different from other life. Lawrence maintained that life is simply matter that has grown sophisticated enough to reproduce itself and to become aware of its surroundings. Lawrence paid for this by losing his job. Ruston implies that Shelley’s Frankenstein subscribes to Abernethy’s belief.
Category: Health & Medical
Technology and Analytics for Global Development: Transforming Agriculture, Empowering Sustainable Livelihoods, and Ensuring Planetary Well-Being
By Denis Dennehy on November 30th, 2024 in Articles, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Case Studies, Editorial & Opinion, Environment, Ethics, Health & Medical, Human Impacts, Magazine Articles, Social Implications of Technology, Societal Impact
We initiated this special issue to highlight innovative and essential work underway on technology and analytics for global development. The panoply of important Adaptation and sustainability are essential, enabled by technologies that optimize crop production, improve quality, and protect the environment. topics discussed at ISTAS23 presented a difficult, but welcome challenge of deciding the theme for this special issue.
Ramalatha Marimuthu Honored with Meritorious Achievement Award
By terribookman on November 25th, 2024 in Articles, Ethics, Health & Medical, Human Impacts, Social Implications of Technology, Societal Impact, SSIT Announcements
Ramalatha Marimuthu, who is SSIT’s Madras India Chapter Chair, and a IEEE Transactions on Technology and Society Associate Editor, was recognized November 22, 2024, in Dallas, TX, with the IEEE EAB Meritorious Achievement Award in Continuing Education.
The Ethics of Product Development—Houston, Do We Have a Problem?
By Colin Ashruf on November 15th, 2024 in Articles, Case Studies, Commentary, Environment, Ethics, Health & Medical, Human Impacts, Magazine Articles, Social Implications of Technology, Societal Impact
Though it is hard to find accurate figures on how many products introduced every year fail to meet safety and environmental standards—partly because market surveillance proves to be inadequate [6], while the assessment of market readiness is, in many cases, left to producers themselves [7] —the number may be higher than the public expects.
Earth3 – A New Podcast from Joe Carvalko
By Joe Carvalko on November 3rd, 2024 in Articles, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Blog Posts, Environment, Ethics, Health & Medical, Human Impacts, Podcasts, Robotics, Social Implications of Technology, Societal Impact, Video & Podcasts
The Earth 3 podcast will explore Earth 1 through the lens of Science, Technology, the Environment, Ethics, and Law, or STEEL for short.
Regenerative Agriculture and Sustainable Stewardship
By Ann-Louise Davidson on October 28th, 2024 in Articles, Editorial & Opinion, Environment, Ethics, Health & Medical, Human Impacts, Magazine Articles, Social Implications of Technology, Societal Impact
Regenerative agriculture involves improving, not depleting, the resources used. Cora and Mike’s methods emphasize the symbiotic relationship between the animals and the land, ensuring that both thrive in a balanced and healthy environment.
Modem Futura Podcast Launches
By terribookman on October 25th, 2024 in Artificial Intelligence (AI), Blog Posts, Ethics, Health & Medical, Human Impacts, Podcasts, Robotics, Societal Impact, Video & Podcasts
Modem Futura is your guide to the bold frontiers of tomorrow.
Food Security and Agriculture: Technology, Policy, Choices
By Ketra Schmitt on October 1st, 2024 in Articles, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Case Studies, Editorial & Opinion, Environment, Ethics, Health & Medical, Human Impacts, Magazine Articles, Social Implications of Technology, Societal Impact
Food security and agriculture are complex systems that interconnect with many other issues, including poverty and environmental sustainability. These urgent issues inspire proposals for technological solutions. Emerging technologies are often proposed as ways to increase food supply to end hunger. Other proposals target agricultural practice, grounded in the knowledge that agriculture has a large carbon footprint, and the fear that the negative climate impacts of agriculture would worsen as the population increases.
Text Neck: Looking Down at Devices for Way Too Long
By Katina Michael on September 18th, 2024 in Articles, Case Studies, Commentary, Environment, Ethics, Health & Medical, Human Impacts, Magazine Articles, Social Implications of Technology, Societal Impact
Text Neck is a classic ergonomic issue that has come about as a direct result of technological innovation, as people have begun to increasingly use digital media of all types to text, talk, browse the internet, listen to music, watch videos, or play online games.
Enhancing Sustainability in Resource-Limited Environments: Government, Culture, and AI
By Alex Roig Albeda on July 10th, 2024 in Articles, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Case Studies, Commentary, Environment, Ethics, Health & Medical, Human Impacts, Magazine Articles, Social Implications of Technology, Societal Impact
Spain’s Comunitat Valenciana (Valencian Community) (Figure 1) has a rich agricultural history, with long traditions of resilience and innovation. This tradition,… Read More
AI and Data Technologies in Advancing Sustainable Development Goals
By Juste Rajaonson on June 15th, 2024 in Articles, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Editorial & Opinion, Environment, Ethics, Health & Medical, Magazine Articles, Social Implications of Technology, Societal Impact
The articles in this special issue focus on the connected nature of the SDGs and the need to address them using community-based approaches and span essential steps for widespread SDG attainment, including planning, implementation, and monitoring.
Monica Huerta Receives Region 9 Eminent Engineer Award
By terribookman on April 29th, 2024 in Articles, Blog Posts, Health & Medical, Human Impacts, Social Implications of Technology, Societal Impact, SSIT Announcements
Dr. Monica Huerta (Ecuador Section) was awarded the IEEE Region 9 Eminent Engineer Award for 2024 for R9.
The Role of Public Policy in the Adoption of Prosthetic Limbs in the United States
By Carolena Stephanie Larson on December 5th, 2023 in Articles, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Commentary, Health & Medical, Human Impacts, Magazine Articles, Robotics, Social Implications of Technology, Societal Impact
We urge that there be a federal mandate to include bionics in federal insurance programs and insurance companies regulated by Obamacare. As prostheses advance in sensory capabilities, insurance companies need to recognize prosthetic limbs as a part of the body susceptible to personal injury, not just as equipment, since they have haptic capabilities (i.e., the sense of touch) and can feel distress.
Society’s Dilemma in Our Day in Age: Technology and Academics Versus Social Development
By Luis Kun on October 16th, 2023 in Articles, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Health & Medical, Human Impacts, Magazine Articles, President's Message, Social Implications of Technology, Societal Impact
If we had a system in the United States where 50% of the time was dedicated to a single academic program for everyone, and the other 50% to social development, society would reap the benefits.
IEEE ISTAS 2023 Conference in Swansea, Wales, Hosts First of Two Scheduled Climate Change Panels
By terribookman on September 16th, 2023 in Articles, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Blog Posts, Conferences, Environment, Ethics, Health & Medical, Human Impacts, Social Implications of Technology, Societal Impact
Some topics addressed on the September 13 panel included climate change challenges related to health and healthcare, contributions of computing to the climate change problem in terms of energy use, along with the potential of computing to contribute to solutions to the crisis, agriculture and food security issues related to climate change, systems design, finding solutions and improving communication across IEEE societies, carbon removal, and economic and social aspects of the crisis including forced migration, water supplies, and the responsibilities of developed nations to developing nations in climate change mitigation.
On Day 2 of ISTAS 2023, Second Climate Change Panel: “Public Safety Technologies and Climate Change”
By terribookman on September 15th, 2023 in Articles, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Blog Posts, Conferences, Environment, Health & Medical, Human Impacts, Social Implications of Technology, Societal Impact
The IEEE International Symposium on Technology and Society (ISTAS 23) continued into its second day of regular programming on Thursday September 14, and included the presentation of a second panel related to climate change, this one focused on “Public Safety Technologies and Climate Change.”
Ensuring Food Security Through Meal Optimization
By Liselotte Schafer Elinder on September 4th, 2023 in Articles, Commentary, Environment, Ethics, Health & Medical, Human Impacts, Magazine Articles, Social Implications of Technology, Societal Impact
It is fully possible to design diets that are nutritionally adequate, with 65% lower greenhouse gas emissions, and which do not cost more than the baseline diet.
The Role of Early Social Development in Networking and “Serendipity”
By Luis Kun on July 21st, 2023 in Articles, Health & Medical, Human Impacts, Magazine Articles, President's Message, Social Implications of Technology, Societal Impact
It was a wonderful experience for me to live all of these events and realize later how everything is really connected. Where will new generations of kids get their “social skills” developed, considering that most of their social relations and interactions happen virtually through their phones or computers while avoiding in-person interactions?
BOOK REVIEW: Atomic Doctors: Conscience and Complicity at the Dawn of the Nuclear Age
By Rachelle Linner on May 1st, 2023 in Articles, Book Reviews, Environment, Ethics, Health & Medical, Human Impacts, Magazine Articles, Social Implications of Technology, Societal Impact
Dr. Nolan and his colleagues were responsible for developing standards to protect against radiation exposure in the laboratory and during the Trinity Test in July 1945. The physicians were continually frustrated by their inability to convince the military about the dangers of radiation but “there is considerable evidence to suggest that the doctors were ever mindful of potential legal consequences and careful to take precautions to protect themselves and the military from future litigation.”
Toxic Technology
By Jeremy Pitt on March 16th, 2023 in Articles, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Communication Technology, Editorial & Opinion, Ethics, Health & Medical, Human Impacts, Magazine Articles, Social Implications of Technology, Societal Impact
Technology has always been about more than simply a route to increased productivity and economic growth; technology also provides the opportunity to enhance, enrich, and empower—basically, to improve shared qualitative values or people’s quality of life (however that is measured). On the flip side, technology also provides the opportunity to develop and project organizational control, which itself can be weaponized to quantitatively determine human value as an asset to that organization, or to reinforce asymmetric power relationships.