ETHICS IN THE PROCESS OF TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION

Prof. Dr. Ricardo B. MaccioniUniversidad de Chile,

International Center for Biomedicine &SYNAPTA

JORNADA “ETICA EN LA INNOVACION TECNOLOGICA”

Proyecto del Programa Bicentenario (PBCT)

The creative process of science has grown explosively during the past 5 decades. Unforseen new technological advances have emerged.

However, major problems of mandkind remain unsolved, suggesting that scientific phenomena gradually dissociates from human phenomenon.

Knowledge generated by small additions, has been characterized by its descriptive nature, rather than the search for integrative conceptual schemes.

IN THE SEARCH OF MAJOR PARADIGMS

To generate technological innovation, obtaining economic value from knowledge appears to be a commitment in modern society

At the begining of XX century great innovations came from the area of physical sciences. Now it became evident that it is possible to innovate in areas related to bilogical sciences: emergency of biotecnology in the 70´s and genomics and proteomics in the early XXI century.

February 2001

Publication of theHuman Genome by Dr. JC Venter from the Celera Group

• Innovation impacts in the economic network of our society

• Intelectual property protection of human creativity

• Several emerging economies like ours experience difficulties in assuring intellectual property protection.

• Our economies have not been able to incorporate into the innovation phenomena. Experience of Finland, Ireland, Singapoor and others have been successful.

•Their legal mechanisms have not adapted to the dynamics of modern technological society.

The product of creativity can generate “technological constructs”, that apparently carry benefits for mandkind, but in a long-term results to be harmful for human health or the biodiversity.

CUTTING-EDGE

SCIENCE

DISCOVERIESSCIENTIFIC

PUBLICATIONS

SOCIAL/ ECONOMICDEVELOPMENT

TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER

APLICATIONS

IMPROVEMENT OF THE QUALITY

OF LIFE

SCIENTIFIC CENTERSENTERPRISE

UNIVERSE

CULTURAL IMPACTPhD

TRAINING PROGRAMS Leading Technologies

Innovation is a result of creativity

¿What is inside of a creative mind?

Sawyer has postulated that to innovate does not require of specific mental processes, rather is a result of the application of a previous complex mental pattern that activate certain brain mechanisms.

LIFE CYCLE OF A NEW TECHNOLOGY

OUR GOALS

THE PRESENT

CHALLENGES WE CAN ATTAIN

THE FUTURE

ENORMOUS GAP

•We can surmount this gap by changing our behaviour• Creative tension leads to innovation

CONDITIONS TO INNOVATE: THINKING IN THE FUTURE

ISI Publications of 12 countries with restrained economies and Spain (1992-2001)

Source: “SCIENCE IN COUNTRIES WITH RESTRAINED ECONOMIES by EMBO, TWAS, HUMAN FRONTIERS & WELLCOME TRUST”(2003)

MAIN LESSONS FROM FINLAND EXPERIENCE

Technological cycles open new avenues to strenghten the emerging economies

Finland took advantage of the boom of mobile telephone industry in the 90´s • The impact on the economy was significant, triggering a sustained circle of

virtue

To take advantage of these opportunities requires to innovate with success

WHAT SHOULD BE DONE IN CHILE!! Enterprise as the main actor

- Entrepreneurs and pymes stimulates the economical impact- A dynamics of clusters contribute to successful results

Public area provides the appropriate environment and facilities- Macroeconomic stability and fiscal discipline- Education: well trained talents- Coordinated actions that potentiate national competitiveness - Dialogue between academic world and the enterprise

Ethics and politics appears to citizens as different domains of human endeavor. However, both domains should interact positively in favor of human condition.

What is ethically corrects, sometime

appears as politically incorrect. However, ethics is the reference that

determines future projections of a society. Politics has only a temporary character, even though some brilliant

minds in politics can contribute to change the course of the world´s

development.