6. Conceptual Disruption and the Ethics of Technology

Abstract

This chapter provides a theoretical lens on conceptual disruption. It offers a typology of conceptual disruption, discusses its relation to conceptual engineering, and sketches a programmatic view of the implications of conceptual disruption for the ethics of technology. We begin by distinguishing between three different kinds of conceptual disruptions: conceptual gaps, conceptual overlaps, and conceptual misalignments. Subsequently, we distinguish between different mechanisms of conceptual disruption, and two modes of conceptual change. We point out that disruptions may be induced by technology, but can also be triggered by intercultural exchanges. Conceptual disruptions frequently yield conceptual uncertainty and may call for conceptual and ethical inquiry. We argue that a useful approach to address conceptual disruptions is to engage in conceptual engineering. We outline what conceptual engineering involves and argue that discussions on conceptual disruption and conceptual engineering can benefit from closer integration. In closing, we discuss the relevance of studying conceptual disruption for technology ethics, and point to the promise of this line of research to innovate practical philosophy at large.

Not Relational Enough? Towards an Eco-Relational Approach in Robot Ethics

“…This inevitably comes with transformations of traditional ethical concepts. Elsewhere in research, it has already been shown that with the advent of emerging technologies like robots, our ethical concepts are being disrupted and transformed (Van de Poel et al, 2023a;Van de Poel et al, 2023b;Hopster et al, 2023).…”