Cyborged ecosystems: Scenario planning and Participatory Technology Assessment of a potentially Rosennean-complex technology

Public involvement in technology policy making is particularly relevant because technological development is now reaching into virtually all planetary systems. The advent of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) for human food is particularly controversial, and it also raises questions about related technological-based potential products such as cyborged organisms in general. The research question in the present study is, what are the results of a Participatory Technology Assessment of cyborged ecosystems? The method utilized is Participatory Technology Assessment, implemented through scenario planning. The result of the study was three core themes: superfluous technology, dangerous tampering, and potential public health consequences. Resonances were observed between answers by laypersons and experts, indicating that they recognized the same issues but expressed themselves using different vocabularies and with different levels or types of understanding. Criteria are needed to ensure the public is able to engage in policy decisions that involve Rosennean-complex technologies.