Abstract
Technologies lower constraints and expand affordances. By doing so, they
continuously redesign the feasibility space of the agents who enjoy them. The more
empowering or enabling technologies become, the more likely they are to change the
nature and scope of the risks that they may bring, both in terms of undesirable
outcomes (possible damages or losses) and in terms of missed desirable outcomes
(potential benefits or opportunities). As a consequence, technologies, by their very
nature, tend to redesign the corresponding space of risks in which agents operate and
interact. Like a string of paper dolls, it seems that technologies cannot shape actual
constraints and affordances without also shaping the corresponding risks, both
positive and negative.
continuously redesign the feasibility space of the agents who enjoy them. The more
empowering or enabling technologies become, the more likely they are to change the
nature and scope of the risks that they may bring, both in terms of undesirable
outcomes (possible damages or losses) and in terms of missed desirable outcomes
(potential benefits or opportunities). As a consequence, technologies, by their very
nature, tend to redesign the corresponding space of risks in which agents operate and
interact. Like a string of paper dolls, it seems that technologies cannot shape actual
constraints and affordances without also shaping the corresponding risks, both
positive and negative.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 89-94 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Philosophy and Technology |
| Volume | 24 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 1 Jun 2011 |