Description: This book investigates behaviour change technologies (BCTs) from an ethical perspective, examining the broader societal and philosophical implications of these types of technologies.
Brief description: Joel Anderson is Moral Psychology & Social Philosophy Chair at the Ethics Institute in the Department of Philosophy & Religious Studies of Utrecht University, the Netherlands. In his work, he develops a relational and intersubjectivist conception of autonomy, a recognitional account of critical social theory, an "extended" approach to self-regulation and disability studies, and a social ethics of technology. He is currently working on a book on "Autonomy Gaps" and editing a collection about how technology is "Disrupting the Human." He is also a principal investigator in the research consortium Ethics of Socially Disruptive Technologies (ESDiT.nl).
Review Quotes:
"The ethics of developing and using scientific understanding to influence human behaviour is something every researcher, practitioner and user of behavioural science must have at the forefront of our minds. This excellent book takes readers expertly through discussions on the key issues that arise, including respect for autonomy, privacy, transparency and responsibility." ---Susan Michie, Director of UCL Centre for Behaviour Change and Co-Director of Behavioural Research UK, and Robert West, Professor Emeritus of Health Psychology, University College London, UK
"In a time when digital technologies are pervasively and effectively shaping behaviour, we need to not only critically discuss how they impact individual freedom, but also address broader societal and political issues. The Ethics of Behaviour Change spans this range and helps us to navigate issues such as autonomy and privacy but also justice and the interaction with cultural values and norms, thus challenging Western-centric approaches." --Mark Coeckelbergh, Professor of Philosophy of Media and Technology and former President of the Society for Philosophy and Technology, University of Vienna, Austria