Ethics in the age of technology | Juan Enriquez | TEDx SHORTS

Summary

In this TEDx Short, host Tosan Leonard explores the intersection of ethics and technology with scientist and entrepreneur Juan Enriquez. Enriquez challenges the traditional black-and-white view of ethics, highlighting how technological advancements blur moral lines, exemplified by the evolution of sex and conception. He urges for a more humble and less judgmental approach to ethics, advocating for intergenerational dialogue and understanding as we navigate the rapidly changing ethical landscape shaped by technology.

Takeaways

• 🌐 Technology is rapidly changing our norms and ethics, making what was once black and white now appear in shades of grey.
• 🤔 Juan Enriquez questions who teaches us ethics, suggesting it's a mix of holy books, parents, teachers, and even social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter.
• 📚 The traditional ethics manual is described as boring and redundant, often stating the obvious and not adapting to the pace of technological change.
• 🔍 Enriquez emphasizes the need for a new approach in judging the past, considering how technology influences our ethical standards.
• 🚫 The concept of sex and conception being separate is highlighted as an example of how technology challenges traditional ethical norms.
• 👴🏻👵🏻 Enriquez uses a thought experiment involving grandparents to illustrate how drastically our understanding of sex and reproduction has changed.
• 🔮 He also speculates on future changes in sexual ethics, suggesting that what we consider ethical today might be seen as unethical in the future.
• 🧠 Enriquez calls for humility in judging the past and establishing ethical rules for the future, acknowledging that technology might lead us to different ethical conclusions.
• 🌱 He suggests that technology can change what is considered ethically acceptable, using the example of alternative meat production that could reduce the need for traditional meat consumption.
• 🌟 Enriquez concludes by advocating for a more generous and less judgmental approach to ethics, encouraging intergenerational dialogue and understanding.

Q & A

What is the main topic of Juan Enriquez's TEDx talk?

Juan Enriquez's TEDx talk focuses on the intersection of ethics and technology, and how technological advancements shape the moral norms of each generation.

What does Enriquez suggest is a common reaction to the ethics manual provided in new jobs?

Enriquez suggests that the ethics manual is often seen as a boring and black-and-white document that states what is right and wrong, which people should already know by the time they take the job.

Who does Enriquez ask the audience to consider as their ethical teachers?

Enriquez asks the audience to consider various sources as their ethical teachers, including holy books, parents, preachers, teachers, lawyers, doctors, the government, peers, and social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter.

How does Enriquez describe the impact of technology on the concept of ethics?

Enriquez describes the impact of technology on ethics as turning it from black and white to 'fifty shades of grey,' indicating that technology complicates the understanding of right and wrong.

What fundamental act of evolution does Enriquez discuss in the context of technological change?

Enriquez discusses the act of sex as the fundamental act of evolution and how technology has led to its redesign, allowing for sex without conception.

What thought experiment does Enriquez propose regarding the ethics of sex and conception?

Enriquez proposes a thought experiment where the audience imagines having a conversation about sex with their grandparents as 18-year-olds, discussing the modern concept of sex without conception, which would have been considered strange in the past.

How does Enriquez suggest we should approach establishing ethics for future generations?

Enriquez suggests that we should approach establishing ethics for future generations with humility, understanding that technology will continue to change what is considered allowable and that future generations may find our current practices unethical.

What alternative to traditional meat consumption does Enriquez mention as an example of technology driving ethical change?

Enriquez mentions the availability of meat alternatives created by technology, such as lab-grown meat, as an example of how technology can drive ethical change by providing options that do not require traditional animal slaughter.

What attitude does Enriquez advocate for when discussing ethics and technology?

Enriquez advocates for an attitude of ethical humility, generosity, and less judgment towards both the past and the future, as well as the importance of establishing civility in conversations about ethics.

What does Enriquez believe is the significance of building bridges and understanding different perspectives in ethical discussions?

Enriquez believes that building bridges and understanding different perspectives is crucial for navigating the collision between ethics and technology, helping to find the 'right arc of history' and fostering a more inclusive and progressive society.

How does Enriquez conclude his talk about the current era and the importance of patience and humility?

Enriquez concludes by expressing his belief that it is the best time to be alive, despite the challenges, and emphasizes the need for patience, humility, and outreach to build bridges and foster understanding in the face of rapid technological and ethical change.

Outlines

00:00

🤔 Ethics Through the Lens of Technology

In this TEDx Short, host Tosan Leone introduces a talk by scientist and entrepreneur Juan Enriquez, who explores the intersection of ethics and technology. Enriquez challenges the traditional black-and-white view of ethics, suggesting that technology's rapid advancements blur the lines into a spectrum of gray. He uses the example of social media, where technology has enabled the sharing of every thought, reaction, and opinion, and asks whether we would stand by all our past social media posts. Enriquez encourages a reevaluation of past judgments and a more humble approach to establishing ethical norms for future generations, as technology continues to redefine what is possible and acceptable. He emphasizes the need for humility in judging the past and setting rules for the future, suggesting that future generations might view our current practices as unethical.

05:02

🌱 Ethical Humility in a Technological Age

Continuing from the previous paragraph, Juan Enriquez delves deeper into the ethical implications of technological advancements. He highlights the example of meat consumption, suggesting that as technology provides alternatives like lab-grown meat, ethical considerations around food choices may shift. Enriquez posits that future generations might judge our current practices harshly, prompting a call for ethical humility. He advocates for a less self-righteous and more generous approach to understanding the past and guiding the future. Enriquez emphasizes the importance of establishing civility in conversations and understanding different perspectives, as technology continues to drive ethical evolution. He concludes by expressing optimism about the present being the best time to be alive, despite ongoing challenges, and stresses the need for patience, humility, and bridge-building in navigating the ethical landscape shaped by technology.

Keywords

💡Ethics

Ethics refers to the moral principles that govern a person's or group's behavior. In the video, ethics is discussed in the context of how technology influences moral norms and decision-making. The speaker questions who teaches us what is ethical and how technology's rapid changes challenge traditional ethical perspectives, as seen in the evolution of views on sex and conception.

💡Technology

Technology is the application of scientific knowledge for practical purposes. The video emphasizes how advancements in technology reshape societal norms and ethical considerations. For example, the speaker discusses the redesigning of sex through technology, which has profound implications for the ethics of reproduction.

💡Social Media

Social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter are mentioned as modern influences on ethical understanding. They serve as channels through which opinions and reactions are shared, potentially shaping public ethics and challenging traditional teachings on right and wrong.

💡Ethics Manual

An ethics manual is a document outlining the moral and professional guidelines for an organization or individual. In the script, it is portrayed as a static, black-and-white source of ethical guidance, which the speaker criticizes for being potentially outdated in the face of technological change.

💡Polarized

Polarized refers to a division within a society or group, often along ideological lines. The video script mentions the current climate as 'slightly polarized,' suggesting that differing views on ethics, influenced by technology, contribute to societal division.

💡Evolution

Evolution is the process by which different kinds of living organisms develop and diversify from earlier forms during the history of the Earth. The speaker uses evolution to highlight the fundamental changes brought about by technology, particularly in the act of sex and reproduction.

💡Conception

Conception is the process of becoming pregnant, involving the fertilization of an egg by sperm. The video discusses how technology has decoupled sex from conception, challenging traditional ethical views and prompting a reevaluation of what is considered natural or acceptable.

💡Humility

Humility is the quality of being modest and not overly proud or self-assertive. The speaker advocates for 'ethical humility,' suggesting that we should be open-minded and less judgmental when considering the ethics of past, present, and future generations in light of technological advancements.

💡Civility

Civility refers to polite and respectful behavior. In the context of the video, establishing civility in conversations is important for understanding differing viewpoints on ethics and technology, and for fostering constructive dialogue.

💡Alternatives

Alternatives are other options or choices available. The script touches on how technology can provide alternatives to traditional practices, such as lab-grown meat, which may influence ethical decisions regarding consumption and environmental impact.

💡Generation

A generation refers to all individuals born and living around the same time, typically used to categorize people based on age. The video script calls for teaching 'generational humility,' acknowledging that each generation may have different ethical standards shaped by the technology available to them.

Highlights

Juan Enriquez, a scientist and entrepreneur, discusses the intersection of ethics and technology in TEDx talk.

Technology is rapidly changing social norms and what is considered ethical or unethical.

Ethics are not always black and white, but can be influenced by technological advancements to become more nuanced.

Society's understanding and approach to sex and conception have been altered by technological advancements.

The ability to separate sex from conception challenges traditional ethical teachings.

Enriquez suggests a thought experiment to understand the ethical implications of technological changes.

Polling society on ethical issues related to technology may have yielded different answers in the past.

The ethical conversation about technology needs to consider future generations and their potential perspectives.

Technology may drive different ethical norms when alternatives are provided, such as lab-grown meat.

Enriquez calls for ethical humility when judging the past and establishing rules for the future.

Being less self-righteous and more generous can foster better intergenerational ethical conversations.

The TEDx event in Berlin, Germany, is independently organized by volunteers who support TED's mission.

TEDx talks aim to spread ideas worth spreading, and more can be found on TED's website.

Host Itosa Leone thanks listeners for tuning in to TEDx Shorts and encourages them to listen to more talks.

Enriquez emphasizes the importance of patience, humility, and building bridges in ethical conversations about technology.

He believes this is the best time to be alive, despite challenges, and encourages reaching out and understanding different perspectives.

Transcripts

a quick new idea daily from the world's

greatest tedx talks

i'm your host tosa leone and this

is tedx shorts

today we're going to hear from scientist

and entrepreneur juan enriquez

in his talk he examines ethics to the

lens of technology and how advancements

shape the norms that each generation

lives by

just think about your own social media

feed

technology has made it easy for us to

share every thought reaction and opinion

but would you stand by everything you've

ever tweeted

as we look back from the supposedly

enlightened vantage point of the present

juan advises us to take a new approach

in judging the past

normally i talk about science

and today i'm going to talk about ethics

and the reason i'm going to talk about

ethics is because

there's been a lot of distraction from

science by people who are certain that

they know the answer

and part of it is promoted by ourselves

because when we take a new job

we get this great big book that just

drops on our desk and it's the ethics

manual

and the ethics manual tells you this is

right

and this is wrong

and it's pretty black and white

and it's one of the most boring

documents ever written by a human being

right i mean if you don't know this

stuff by the time you take that job you

shouldn't be in that job

because it's telling you stuff you

already know

and i guess the question that i want to

address today particularly in today's

climate which is slightly polarized

is who's teaching us

what it is to be ethical

so i'd like you to take about 10 seconds

in your own minds

and just think through who taught you

right from wrong

all right now that you've got the answer

in your minds

here's some of the answers that

sometimes you get

so you have a holy book that tells you

the stuff and mama teaches you and the

preacher teaches you and the teacher

touches you

and the lawyer teaches you and the

doctor and of course the government

and a whole bunch of other people your

peers and facebook and twitter and

all kinds of good

ways of learning right from wrong

we're going through this

culture war

during a time when technology is

changing stuff very quickly

it's changing who we speak to it's

changing who we talk to it's changing

what we can do

and in that context ethics doesn't

become black and white it becomes fifty

shades of grey

i don't think we understand how fast

and how radically technology is changing

us

see

the fundamental act of evolution is sex

no sex no evolution

and we take it for granted

that we've been redesigning sex

so

how do we think about this well bring

back grandpa and grandma and let's have

the birds and the bees talk with them

okay

but instead of bringing back as

nice white-haired folks we're going to

take a time machine we're going to bring

them back as hormone-filled 18 year olds

so you now have your four grandparents

sitting in front of you and you're

talking to them about sex

that's an interesting conversation

you can now have sex and not have a baby

do you understand how weird that would

be two generations ago

because every animal and every human

generation normally sex equal conception

and now you're telling them

oh no we can have free sex and never

conceive

now let's come back to the ethics had we

polled society should you do this two

generations ago they would have said

hell no

and they would have taught never do this

so how do we establish the ethics for

the next generations as technology

changes what you can do

technology has a lot to do

with changing the future

and as we sit here today now try the

same thought experiment have your

grandkids age 60 bring you back

and tell you about sex

do you think sex and conception and

reproduction is going to look the same

two generations from now

how do we establish a ethical

conversation on that how do we decide

what should be allowed what shouldn't be

allowed

do we need a certain humility

to judge the past

and to establish the rules for the

future

because they may be doing things that we

might find really strange

and

just as last series of points

it may be that we are doing things today

that will seem pretty darn unethical to

our kids because technology changes the

boundaries

of what is allowable

technology sometimes drives very

different ethical mores

when you have an alternative

and you don't have to go vegetarian and

you can still eat meat

when there are clear alternatives that

are by technology so we don't have to do

this how do you think they're going to

judge us

so let's teach a little bit of

generation

a little bit of

ethical humility

both to our own generation and to the

next generation

as this collision between ethics and

technology takes place

let's be a little less self-righteous

a little more generous

and a little bit less judgmental towards

the past and hope the next generations

are less judgmental towards us

establishing civility in conversations

is going to be really important

understanding where the other person is

coming from what they were taught is

really important

helping bridge

towards what we discover is the right

arc of history which i think we're on i

think this is the best time to be alive

despite all the stuff that's going on

there

but we need patience we need humility

need to reach out

and we need to build bridges

the tedx talk you just listened to was

recorded at a tedx event in berlin

germany all tedx events are

independently organized by volunteers

who believe in ted's mission of ideas

worth spreading

special thanks to the organizing team at

tedx berlin

want to listen to more tedx talks visit

our website at ted.com

tedx shorts

i'm itosa leone thanks for listening and

see you tomorrow

you