About

Introduction to the International Society for Ethics in Science and Technology (ISEST)

1. Background and Mission
   The International Society for Ethics in Science and Technology (ISEST) is a global non-profit academic organization established in 2005 and headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. The society was founded in response to the ethical challenges posed by the rapid development of science and technology in the early 21st century, including moral controversies in fields such as gene editing, artificial intelligence, big data privacy, and climate engineering.

The mission of ISEST is:

• To promote global research on technology ethics and advance responsible scientific and technological development;
• To build interdisciplinary dialogue platforms connecting scientists, ethicists, policymakers, and the public;
• To develop ethical guidelines providing governance frameworks for governments, enterprises, and research institutions;
• To advance global technology ethics education and cultivate technology professionals with ethical awareness.

ISEST’s founding members include Nobel laureates, philosophers, legal experts, and technology industry leaders, such as gene editing pioneer Dr. Emily Carter, AI ethicist Prof. David Miller, and bioethicist Dr. Sophia Chen.

2. Key Research Areas
   ISEST’s research covers core ethical issues in scientific and technological development, including:

(1) Artificial Intelligence and Data Ethics

• Algorithmic fairness: Research on bias in machine learning, such as racial discrimination in facial recognition and gender bias in recruitment algorithms.
• Autonomous weapons systems: Advocating for a global ban on Lethal Autonomous Weapons (LAWS).
• Data privacy and surveillance: Exploring the balance between personal privacy protection and national security in the era of big data.

(2) Life Sciences and Medical Ethics

• Gene editing (CRISPR): Establishing ethical boundaries for human embryo gene modification to prevent misuse such as “designer babies.”
• Synthetic biology: Examining the ecological risks of artificial life and gene drive technologies.
• Brain-computer interfaces and neural enhancement: Researching ethical boundaries of future technologies like cognitive freedom and consciousness uploading.

(3) Environmental and Climate Ethics

• Geoengineering: Assessing the global impact of solar radiation management (SRM) and carbon capture technologies (CCS).
• Biodiversity conservation: Discussing ethical controversies surrounding the use of gene drive technologies for species protection.

(4) Emerging Technology Ethics

• Quantum computing: Investigating its relationship with national security and social equity.
• Metaverse and virtual reality: Exploring ethical issues related to digital identity and virtual property rights.
• Robot rights: Should advanced artificial intelligence be granted legal personhood?

1. Major Activities and Contributions
   (1) Global Ethics in Tech Summit (GETS)
   ISEST hosts an annual global summit that brings together scientists, policymakers, corporate representatives, and ethicists to discuss the most pressing issues in technology ethics. For example:

• 2023 Summit Theme: “AI and Humanity’s Future: How to Prevent Technological Runaway?”
• 2022 Summit Outcome: Promoting the inclusion of “high-risk AI ethics review” clauses in the EU Artificial Intelligence Act.

(2) Global Ethics Guidelines (GEG)
The GEG published by ISEST is one of the world’s most influential technology ethics standards and has been adopted by organizations such as UNESCO and the World Economic Forum (WEF). Core principles include:

• Transparency: Algorithmic decisions must be explainable.
• Fairness: Technological development should reduce social inequality.
• Accountability: Technology companies must uphold ethical responsibility.
• Sustainability: Technological innovation must not come at the expense of the environment.

(3) Technology Ethics Education and Certification
In collaboration with Harvard University, Oxford University, Tsinghua University, and other institutions, ISEST offers:

• Master of Science in Technology Ethics (MSc in Tech Ethics)
• Certified Ethics Officer (CEO) program
• Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), such as “Introduction to AI Ethics” and “Social Impact of Gene Editing.”

(4) Policy Advisory and International Cooperation
ISEST provides technology ethics policy recommendations to governments and international organizations, including:

• Assisting the EU in drafting the AI Ethics Guidelines;
• Providing WHO with clinical application standards for gene editing;
• Promoting UN negotiations on the Convention on the Prohibition of Autonomous Weapons.

1. Global Influence
   ISEST has members in over 90 countries, including:

• Academic institutions: MIT Ethics and Emerging Technologies Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences Institute of Science and Technology Ethics, etc.
• Technology companies: Google AI Ethics Board, Huawei Technology Ethics Committee, etc.
• International organizations: UN AI Governance Committee, WEF AI Working Group, etc.

The society’s initiatives have directly influenced numerous international policies, such as:

• 2019: Advocating for a global moratorium on human germline gene editing clinical trials;
• 2021: Facilitating Meta (Facebook) to establish an independent ethics oversight committee;
• 2023: Promoting the signing of the “Declaration on International Cooperation in AI Ethics” by G7 nations.

1. Future Directions
   ISEST’s core tasks for the future include:

• Establishing a global technology ethics database to document cases of technology misuse and best practices;
• Promoting “Ethics by Design” to integrate ethical considerations throughout the technology R&D process;
• Strengthening participation from developing countries to prevent technology ethics from becoming a “Western-dominated” discourse;
• Exploring ethical frameworks for frontier fields such as the metaverse and quantum computing.

Conclusion
As a key force in global technology ethics governance, the International Society for Ethics in Science and Technology (ISEST) is committed to finding a balance between technological innovation and human values. In the face of disruptive technologies such as AI, gene editing, and climate engineering, ISEST’s work is more critical than ever. Moving forward, the society will continue to promote global cooperation to ensure that technological development truly benefits all of humanity, rather than exacerbating inequality or threatening survival.