Towards a phronetic space for responsible research (and innovation)

Area of Science:

• Science and Technology Studies
• Philosophy of Science
• Research Ethics

Background:

• Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) is a central concept in the European research framework Horizon 2020.
• RRI is framed as an effort to conceptualize research and innovation as a public good.
• Current academic discourse on RRI may benefit from incorporating the concept of phronesis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the role of phronesis in enriching the academic debate on Responsible Research and Innovation.
• To argue for a categorial shift in understanding RRI, moving beyond technocratic interpretations.
• To propose a more pluralistic vision of RRI grounded in the Aristotelian concept of phronesis.

Main Methods:

• Conceptual analysis of Responsible Research and Innovation.
• Philosophical inquiry into the concept of phronesis (practical wisdom).
• Argumentative essay presenting a shift in perspective on RRI.

Main Results:

• The study suggests that interpreting RRI through the lens of phronesis offers a more nuanced and pluralistic approach.
• Phronesis highlights the importance of practical judgment and discretion in specific research contexts.
• This perspective moves away from a purely technocratic view of RRI towards one that values the formation of the researcher.

Conclusions:

• A shift towards a phronesis-based understanding can significantly enrich the discourse on Responsible Research and Innovation.
• Embracing phronesis encourages researchers to cultivate practical wisdom and exercise ethical judgment in unique situations.
• This approach fosters a more holistic and less technocratic view of research and innovation as a public good.