Abstract
We are currently witnessing the emergence of a discourse on responsible research and innovation (RRI) in the field of quantum technology. Working on the assumption that the initial stage of discourse is of particular importance with regard to the ascription of meaning to an emerging field, our point of departure is a small corpus of prominent policy-oriented reports on quantum technology recently published in Europe. With a view to these publications, the article analyses various approaches to RRI and discusses lessons learned in nanotechnology discourse as these may impact on emerging discourse on quantum technology and its stance towards RRI. On the basis of our analyses, we outline a strategy for fostering RRI in this promising field of science and technology. We propose implementing a “strong” RRI approach which entails linking parliamentary or other core policy processes to stakeholder dialogues, decision-supporting public engagement and a wide variety of other public communication activities. At the same time, taking our cue from lessons learned in nanotechnology discourse, we argue that a strong RRI approach to quantum technology should be modest and focused in terms of thematic and societal scope.
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Notes
We would like to thank a reviewer of the first draft of our paper for pointing out to us that the high relevance of images in nanotechnology discourse is a noteworthy difference to quantum technology discourse.
However, this reference to “science fiction” should not be read as a reference to the literary genre. “Science fiction” is obviously used here, as is quite often the case in German, as a synonym for scientifically unfounded speculation. To what extent the genre of science fiction is relevant to quantum technology discourse is a question beyond the thematic scope of our article. In the above-mentioned FARQUEST workshop in Austria in December 2011, Hannu Rajaniemi, the author of the science fiction novel Quantum Thief (2010), was among the participants, and the reactions to his literary work and the assessments of its relevance for the aims of the workshop were mixed. While some participants argued that quantum technologies have to be seen in a broader cultural context, others expressed concerns that fictional contributions to quantum technology discourse could be detrimental to rational public discourse of the emerging field.
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Acknowledgements
Our research and reflection on approaches to responsible research and innovation (RRI) have significantly benefitted from our involvement in the SYNENERGENE project (https://www.synenergene.eu). The SYNENERGENE project has received funding from the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme for research, technological development and demonstration under Grant Agreement No. 321488.
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Coenen, C., Grunwald, A. Responsible research and innovation (RRI) in quantum technology. Ethics Inf Technol 19, 277–294 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10676-017-9432-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10676-017-9432-6