Technology Ethics: Responsible Innovation and Design Strategies by Steven Umbrello starts off promisingly by establishing a theoretical basis to convince the reader that the design of a technology is often imbued deliberately or not with an ethical basis, and that there is in fact considerable interaction between the technology and society. Each narrative is supplied with everyday practical examples or - imaginatively - even a fictional technology in the form of the Ring from the Tolkien books. So far so good and I felt engaged with the topic.

In the second part of the book however, the author endeavours to provide actionable tools and this - in my view - is where the author singularly fails to convince. The so-called actionable tools all seem well-intended, and sound obvious until one tries to retrofit them to the examples supplied in the first half of the book. How would a gun have been designed differently when subjected to these tools? Would it have resulted in a different construction of ChatGPT. I frankly don't think it would have existed by now. Or should Sauron have take a different approach to constructing the ring by first evaluating the values of all the ring's stakeholders? There are myriad ways to illustrate how technologies would have been designed differently but the lack of any examples in this half of the book really lets it down.

So for me this book clearly didn't work. My advice would be to read the first half, but skip the well-intended actionable tools,unless the final print of this books beefs up the second half considerably.

#TechnologyEthics #NetGalley

I'm not usually a nonfiction reviewer but I was interested in this book because, while not being an engineer or a designer, I'm in a field where I think it's important to ask yourself the kind of ethical questions I was expecting to find in this book.

What I found was definitely different than I had expected, not so much in terms of content but more in terms of form and style. If you're used to reading academic articles and reviews, then this reads just like that. And that's kind of not what I wanted? Even if you think this book will only be read by people in academia (but why should it? when these are really universal questions?), you should still make it engaging.

This was dry and repetitive in that way a thesis or dissertation would be, but ultimately not what I had envisioned. The only attempt to make it more engaging were the frequent comparisons to the One Ring, using it as a literary example for the various philosophies and point of views. Those really helped solidify the dryness of some concepts, but this ultimately wasn't enough for me to enjoy the reading process.

I recently read Technology Ethics and found it to be an eye-opening journey into the intricate relationship between technology and society. The book explores how our creations reflect our values and can perpetuate inequalities if not approached with care. What I appreciated most was its focus on responsible innovation and thoughtful design. It's not just about the gadgets; it's about the impact they have on people's lives. For anyone curious about the ethical dimensions of technology, this book offers both insight and actionable solutions.

Strap in, folks! Technology Ethics isn't your typical snooze-fest of academic jargon; it's a rollercoaster ride through the wild world of tech and morality! This book throws down hard truths about how our gadgets aren't just innocent tools but carry the baggage of their creators' values. But fear not! It's not all doom and gloom. With wit and wisdom, the author lays out a roadmap for responsible innovation that'll make you rethink your relationship with your smartphone. If you're tired of the same old tech talk and want a fresh perspective, this book is your ticket to the ethical revolution! 🚀