East Meets West | Li Zhengfeng: Will Science and Technology ‘Backfire’ on Humanity if We Leave Their Ethics Behind?
The governance of science and technology ethics has always been a global issue and it is increasingly drawing the public’s attention. In fact, this subject has been explored, imagined and presented in many films and TV series, such as The Matrix, Terminator, I Robot and Ex Machina.
So, how can the ethics of science and technology be effectively governed? Will science and technology ‘backfire’ on humanity if we leave behind their associated ethics? Li Zhengfeng, a professor at the School of Social Sciences and deputy director of the Center for Science and Technology Development and Governance, Tsinghua University, recently shared his thoughts on this matter in an exclusive interview with “East Meets West” of China News Service.
Li Zhengfeng is a professor at the School of Science and Social Sciences, Tsinghua University. He was formerly the Vice-President of the School of Social Sciences, Tsinghua University and the Vice-President of the Chinese Association of Development Strategy Studies. He is an executive director of the Chinese Sociological Association, an executive director of the Chinese Society for Dialectics of Nature, an executive director of the Chinese Association for Science of Science and S&T Policy, and an associate editor of Cultures of Science. His research areas include social studies of science and technology, philosophy of science and technology, ethics and the culture of science and technology, development strategies and the policy of science and technology, and science and technology communication and popularisation.
CNS: There is significant concern about the ethics of science and technology. Without effective governance, could the fear that science and technology will ‘backfire’ on humanity become a reality?
Li: At a global level, the governance of science and technology ethics has become an increasingly important issue. The development of science and technology has given humanity unprecedented new powers, and the products of science and technology have capabilities or functions that, in some respects, are far greater than those of human beings. They can pose great risks if they are misused or not used wisely.
Many works of art, including films, contain extreme depictions of these risks, such as technology being developed to the point where it controls or destroys humanity. This prospect has been portrayed on the big screen, stimulating the audience to focus and reflect on the development of technology and the related ethical issues.
Despite being artistic in nature, these creative works do encourage awareness and reflection. If we do not think about and control the possible consequences of technology, the so-called ‘new powers’ may pose a threat to the future survival of humanity, such as the current developments in biotechnology and artificial intelligence which come with the risk of ‘backfiring’ on humanity to varying degrees and in different ways.
The term ‘backfire’ is used figuratively to suggest an action or creation of humanity that can, in turn, harm humanity. There are different degrees to which something can ‘backfire’, and since the recent technological revolution, people have been guarding against the adverse effects of technological advancements. As the power of science and technology continues to grow, such adverse effects can go beyond the control of the whole of humanity, or they can have a fundamental and overarching impact, which is when this topic becomes a common global concern.
Poster for the film The Matrix.
Photo by Li Jiangsong, China News Service
CNS: The governance of science and technology ethics is seen as a common global challenge. How are Western societies tackling this issue? What are the similarities and differences between the policies implemented by Western countries and those of China?
Li: The governance of science and technology ethics involves the crucial aspect of risk prevention. The aim is to guide and regulate scientific and technological behaviour through good values and corresponding ethical norms.
In the modern era, Western science and technology have developed more rapidly. The countries that have pioneered or developed an in-depth understanding and expansion of science and technology have always been one step ahead. They have been able to identify the associated risks of scientific applications at an earlier stage and therefore act promptly in terms of governance.
For example, science and technology ethics committees were first established in the 1960s in the United States and developed countries in Europe. As a typical review and restraint mechanism in the governance of science and technology ethics, these committees were primarily tasked with assessing and reviewing the ethical risks of research. If the potential ethical problems were not fully considered, or the risks were too great to be approved by the ethics committee, the subsequent research work would be duly restrained.
Moreover, these countries have also developed a more mature governance system of science and technology ethics. Nevertheless, there are differences in the understanding of this subject due to the varying states of development and the different cultures, so the focuses and approaches of governance may diverge according to cultural traditions, institutional structures and social tolerance. As a result, there are also variances in the governance systems of science and technology ethics established in each country. To some extent, what is considered the best governance mechanism in one country may not be suitable in another.
Although China is a latecomer to science and technology, it is rapidly catching up, with its characteristics of cultural traditions and institutional construction. Therefore, the soon-to-be-established governance system of science and technology ethics must not only respond to the social and ethical issues raised by contemporary life sciences, artificial intelligence, and other emerging fields of science and technology, but it must also adapt to the particular challenges at the development stage.
Visitors experiencing a 5D immersive digital sandbox at the Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Hall.
Photo by Chen Yuyu, China News Service
CNS: In March this year, China’s first national-level guiding document on the governance of science and technology ethics – The Opinions on Strengthening the Governance of Science and Technology Ethics – was published. What do you consider to be the salient features of the governance of science and technology ethics in China?
Li: The publication of this document is critical, partly because it is closely related to China’s stage of development, and partly because of the challenges China is facing in terms of its governance of science and technology ethics. Since the reform and the implementation of opening-up policies, China has experienced rapid scientific and technological development, but, more frequently and more directly than ever before, it has also been confronted by various ethical issues in science and technology, particularly in the cutting-edge areas.
In 2016, China proposed establishing itself as a world power in science and technology. This is a very different historical context from that of the UK, which became a world power in science and technology during the 16th and 17th centuries, and Germany, which gradually became a world power in this field during the 19th century.
Today’s science and technology, including life sciences and information technology, involves more research that has human beings acting as the research subjects. By contrast, scientists were previously more likely to use mechanical motion or the inorganic world as their main subjects of study. Relatively speaking, the social and ethical issues raised by the development of science and technology in the past were not as concentrated as they are today. However, at present, almost every stage of scientific and technological development deals with social and ethical issues. If China is to become a world power in science and technology in this context, it must become a responsible nation regarding the related ethical issues.
On the other hand, compared to China, the United States and some European countries have had a relatively long time to explore and improve their governance systems of science and technology ethics. If China wishes to establish its own effective governance system within a relatively short period of time, it must first pursue its endeavours more rigorously. Second, a holistic governance framework must be put in place, especially to make up for the shortcomings in the current governance system. The publication of The Opinions on Strengthening the Governance of Science and Technology Ethics marked a truly new stage in China strengthening its holistic and comprehensive governance of science and technology ethics.
It is also vital that a sense of shared responsibility is achieved. For example, how can facial recognition technology products be used without compromising the public’s privacy? As people continue to expand their awareness of the ethics behind technological development, there is a realistic basis for shaping the relevant consensus.
Citizens experiencing artificial intelligence technology in the street.
Photo by Yuan Hongyan, China News Service
CNS: In the context of the globalisation of science and technology development, the issue of ethics is no longer confined to a particular country or region. What do you think are the challenges relating to the global governance of science and technology ethics, and how can they be addressed together?
Li: One of the prominent challenges relating to the global governance of science and technology ethics involves the differences brought about by the varying stages of development in each country, which makes it possible for the problem of ethical dumping to arise. Ethical dumping refers to the fact that some scientific research that is contrary to the ethical norms of science and technology is difficult to conduct in countries with more developed ethical governance systems, and so it may be transferred for completion in countries that have fewer robust ethical norms.
The ethical issues of contemporary scientific and technological developments have externalities that cross national and ethnic boundaries. Whether it is the governance of biomedical technology, artificial intelligence technology or the cross-border use of data, it requires the joint efforts of countries and global collaboration. Therefore, building trust and cooperation mechanisms for the global governance of science and technology ethics is vital.
In November 2021, the 3rd World Forum on Science, Technology and Development was held in Beijing. Chinese and foreign experts engaged in high-end dialogue on “the governance of science and technology ethics, trust and cooperation”, both online and offline.
Photo by Sun Zifa, China News Service
In this process, not only should countries formulate effective norms and systems, but they should also gradually form international standards and conventions on the governance of science and technology ethics, break away from narrow national protectionism and nationalism, establish trust and consultation mechanisms in the global governance of science and technology ethics from the standpoint of the community of a shared future for mankind, and bring into play and integrate the wisdom and strength of different countries.
As technology continues to develop and people gain a deeper understanding of the associated risks, ethical norms are increasingly dovetailing with administrative controls and legal constraints, and are no longer entirely soft constraints.
The governance of science and technology ethics is never meant to hinder the healthy development of science and technology; instead, the intention is to take control and remove any obstacles. At the same time, the pathway to the healthy development of science and technology should be broadened so that it can truly benefit humanity. Therefore, understanding the critical role of science and technology ethics governance is an important basis on which countries can work together to build a global governance system.
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