Gray Matters: Exploring Technologists' Perceptions of Dual-Use Potentiality in Emerging Neurotechnology Applications

Isobel Butorac; Filippa Lentzos; Christine Aicardi

doi:10.1089/hs.2020.0147

Gray Matters: Exploring Technologists' Perceptions of Dual-Use Potentiality in Emerging Neurotechnology Applications

Isobel Butorac, Filippa Lentzos, Christine Aicardi

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2 Citations (Scopus)

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Abstract

In this article, we report on a pilot study examining perceptions of dual use among neurotechnologists and neuroethicists. We carried out 10 semistructured interviews with participants from established universities in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia about the risks they saw with the new technology and who has responsibility for safely developing it. We used a grounded theory approach to code and develop themes from the data and establish a foundation for analysis. Our findings showed that dual use was not considered binary, but rather multifaceted and fluid, with the commercialization and globalization of the emerging science shifting participants' understandings of what neurotechnologies are considered beneficial and harmful, rendering future uses unknowable.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	424-430
Number of pages	7
Journal	Health Security
Volume	19
Issue number	4
Early online date	14 Jul 2021
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1089/hs.2020.0147
Publication status	E-pub ahead of print - 14 Jul 2021

Keywords

Neurotechnology
Dual-use science
Bioethics
Social studies of science

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Gray Matters: Exploring Technologists_BUTORAC_Publishedonline14July2021_GREEN AAMAccepted author manuscript, 252 KBLicence: CC BY-NC-ND

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Gray Matters: Exploring Technologists' Perceptions of Dual-Use Potentiality in Emerging Neurotechnology Applications

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