Recovering ethics after 'technics': developing critical text on technology.

Area of Science:

• Bioethics
• Philosophy of Technology
• Nursing Ethics

Background:

• Contemporary ethical debates in science and healthcare often focus on high-profile technological advancements.
• There is a tendency to overlook the essential nature and ethical implications of everyday technology.
• Current ethical frameworks struggle to address the complexity of technology, perpetuating a narrow, problem-solving mindset ('technics').

Purpose of the Study:

• To critically examine the ethical dimensions of technology in healthcare and society.
• To broaden the ethical conversation in nursing by considering technology as a set of daily moral choices.
• To recover ethics from the limitations of 'technics' and foster an inherent understanding of technology among nurses.

Main Methods:

• Engaging in a critical dialectic between practice and scholarship.
• Analyzing the overlooked ethical challenges embedded in routine professional activities.
• Exploring the concept of technology beyond its technical applications to its role in human interaction.

Main Results:

• The study identifies significant, yet unexamined, ethical challenges within the mundane aspects of professional practice.
• It highlights that ethical behavior is rooted in daily interactions and commitment to others, not just crisis situations.
• A critical perspective on technology is necessary to move beyond a purely technical, problem-solving approach.

Conclusions:

• Nurses require an inherent knowledge of technology to provide ethical care in an increasingly technological world.
• Ethical considerations of technology must extend to everyday practices and human relationships.
• Moving beyond 'technics' is crucial for a more comprehensive and effective ethical lens on technology in healthcare.