Technology and dominance in the recent
First Encyclical Letter of His Holiness Leo XIV Magnifica Humanitas, 15 May 2026

* Chapter 3: TECHNOLOGY AND DOMINANCE
Some of the topics discussed are:
Automation, dignity of work
Protecting freedom against dependencies and commercialization
Breaking the chains of new forms of slavery
The normalization of war
Force without limits
The military-industrial complex
Weapons and artificial intelligence
The crisis of multilateralism
The need to disarm words
Justice >>
https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/en/encyclicals/documents/20260515-magnifica-humanitas.html#CHAPTER_THREE

* Existential risk from artificial intelligence >>
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Existential_risk_from_artificial_intelligence

* Martin Heidegger, The Question Concerning Technology, 1954 >>
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Question_Concerning_Technology
#humanism #human #performance #enhancement #RemainingHuman #transhumanism #PostHumanism #AI #algorithms #machines #governance #regulation #humanity #fallibility #automation #commercialisation #transformation #dehumanisation #slavery #CommonGood #war #multilateralism #justice #TechnologyAssessment #TA #TechnologicalWorldview #techne #technologies #ScientificConsensus #PublicSphere #FLI #risks #existence #nature #RawMaterials

Technologiefolgen-Abschätzung, Früherkennung, Zukunftsforschung: Im Jahresbericht 2025 versuchen wir einen Überblick zu schaffen und die Arbeit von TA-SWISS in diesem breiten Feld zu verorten.

Wir geben Einblick in Studien, etwa zu digitalem Geld, neuen Nukleartechnologien oder Social-Scoring und zeigen auf, wie TA-SWISS den Dialog zwischen Wissenschaft, Politik und Öffentlichkeit stärkt.

https://www.ta-swiss.ch/publikationen/jahresberichte?mtm_source=fedi

#Technologie #Zukunft #TechnologyAssessment

Évaluation des choix technologiques, veille stratégique, études du futur : le rapport annuel 2025 propose un aperçu et situe le travail de TA SWISS dans ce vaste champ.

Il donne un aperçu d’études sur la monnaie numérique, les nouvelles technologies nucléaires ou le social scoring, et montre comment TA SWISS renforce le dialogue entre science, politique et société.

https://www.ta-swiss.ch/fr/publications/rapports-dactivite?mtm_source=fedi

#Technologie #Avenir #TechnologyAssessment

The War That Must Not Occur

"The danger of a major nuclear catastrophe today is greater than it was during the Cold War, yet most people are blissfully unaware of this... Once a major catastrophe appears to be possible, one must assume that it will in fact occur."

"The mere possession of nuclear weapons is a moral abomination."

The War That Must Not Occur, Jean-Pierre Dupuy, Translated by Malcolm DeBevoise, 2024 >>
https://www.sup.org/books/theory-and-philosophy/war-must-not-occur
#NuclearCatastrophe #war #NuclearWeapons #TPNW #NPT #TechnologyAssessment #civilisation #destruction #books

Does the TA community need to reflect on its role in assessing the impacts and repercussions of weapons technology?

The guest editors of the current special topic on future warfare, argue that TA cannot stand aside and ignore the challenges posed by rapid change in international relations.

Article "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly":
➡️ https://doi.org/10.14512/tatup.7305

Full issue "TA and future warfare":
➡️https://www.tatup.de/index.php/tatup/issue/view/186

#technologyassessment #warfare #dualuse @KIT_Karlsruhe

Military force or the threat thereof is increasingly shaping international relations – and technology plays a key role in this. The current TATuP Special topic examines how TA can address this development.

Read the full issue 35/1 (2026) "Technology assessment and future warfare":
➡️ https://www.tatup.de/index.php/tatup/issue/view/186

Many thanks 🙏 to our special topic editors & to all the authors!

#technologyassessment #warfare, #dualuse @ITAS @KIT_Karlsruhe

How is generative AI reshaping parliamentary TA?
The second part of our series shares insights from TAB’s experiments – from AI‑supported trend analysis to chatbot‑based feedback.
👉 Read here: https://www.tab-beim-bundestag.de/english/generative-ai-and-parliamentary-ta-between-potential-practice-and-reflection.php

We welcome input and perspectives for the upcoming parts of the series.

#TechnologyAssessment #AI #PolicyAdvice #EPTA

Watch the Enshittificator

"Digital products and services keep getting worse. In the new report Breaking Free: Pathways to a fair technological future, the Norwegian Consumer Council has delved into enshittification and how to resist it. The report shows how this phenomenon affects both consumers and society at large, but that it is possible to turn the tide." >>
https://vimeo.com/1168468796
#Enshittification #PlatformDecay #crapification #platforms #degradation #BigTech #BusinessModel #SocialMedia #services #accountability #laws #transparency #TechnologyAssessment #TA #internet

How do policymakers, scientists, and the public engage with technology assessments and how do they use them?

In the latest globalTA webinar Sarah Harvey and Karen L. Howard, Directors of Science and Technology Assessment at the US Government Accountability Office, presented approaches to assess the impact of their work and how these insights inhelp to better meet policymakers’ needs.

Webinar video:
▶ 🎥 https://youtu.be/co6YTmAOy-M?si=WBb9c6NEPzPRyJxr

#globalTA #TechnologyAssessment #TACommunity

The function of technology assessment is not to measure but to warn. We cannot predict quantitatively the value or the cost of a new technology. What we can do is to look ahead and identify snags and traps. With luck, we may see the traps far enough ahead so that we can avoid walking in to them.
-- Freeman J. Dyson

⬆ #Wisdom #Quotes #FreemanJDyson #TechnologyAssessment

⬇ #Photography #Panorama #Panopainting #Driftwood #Florida