Ethical Aspects of Technology in the Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis

Paper in proceeding, 2016

In technological systems, decisions are often governed by multi criteria decision analysis (MCDA) techniques that take into account mutually opposing criteria for the system, and it results in ranking of alternatives. MCDA is based on value systems of decision-makers, and ethical deliberation in the process is implicit. We argue that it is necessary to make decision-making in technological systems transparent such that value basis and ethical considerations become explicit and subject for scrutiny of involved stakeholders. As different priorities, value systems and ethical choices result in different technical solutions, such solutions when put in use will promote those intrinsic and implicit values. In a society with ubiquitous technology, value aspects of technology are essential. At present there is no explicit mechanism to expose ethical aspects in these analyses, so they can easily be forgotten. As a support to encourage introduction of transparent value-based deliberation we propose an extended MCDA scheme that explicitly takes into account ethical analysis.