M. Decker, M. Ladikas (Eds.)

Bridges between Science, Society and Policy.
Technology Assessment - Methods and Impacts

Berlin Heidelberg New York: Springer 2004, (Reihe "Wissenschaftsethik und Technikfolgenbeurteilung", Bd. 22), ISBN 3-540-21283-3, 250 Seiten, 53,45 Euro
[Preface/htm]   [Contents/htm]

Foreword

The Europäische Akademie zur Erforschung von Folgenwissenschaftlich-technischer Entwicklungen Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler GmbH (european academy) is concerned with the scientific study of the consequences of scientific and technological advance for the individual and social life and for the natural environment. The main focus is to examine foreseeable mid- and long-term processes that are especiallyinfluenced by natural- and engineering sciences and the medical disciplines. Theacademy fulfills this task by organizing interdisciplinary expert discussions.

Another important issue of the work of the Europäische Akademie concerns the methodology of Technology Assessment as a general issue. This is the main reason that the european academy organized during the past two years a project funded by the European Commission on Technology Assessment. Methods and Impact (TAMI). Together with partners from all over Europe a common understanding of what Technology Assessment (TA) is supposed to do was developed. Most importantly it was acknowledged that the core of any TA activity has to be a sound scientific understanding of the relevant phenomena. Communication then is of cordial importance to reach the relevant decision makers as well as the general public. It is true that this phase of the TA process has been treated with too little attention for many years. The communication processes between scientific advisers and policy makers have hence to be further scrutinized.

The book series on ethics of science and technology assessment, “Wissenschaftsethik und Technikfolgenbeurteilung”, edited by the Europäische Akademie, gives the opportunity to publish the results of the TAMI project as a contribution to the ongoing debate on the methodology in European Technology Assessment.