Ethics & Society
The Human Brain Project will have an impact on both science and society. We are committed to Responsible Research and Innovation (what is also known as RRI). A wide umbrella connecting different aspects of the relationship between research and innovation and society. We enable responsibility within the HBP by providing the governance structures that are needed. We also conduct social, ethical and reflective research on everything from good RRI practice, dual use, public engagement, diversity to neuroethics and philosophy. These activities are spread across the project.
Social, ethical & reflective work in the HBP
We have compiled a list of all articles, books, and reports related to social, ethical and reflective work we have produced since the beginning of the Human Brain Project: October 2013. We hope it might be useful for those interested in how social science, ethics and philosophy can become driving forces in scientific and technological development. And ensure responsible research and innovation in both theory and practice.
Responsible Research and Innovation in the HBP
Through our social and philosophical research, public engagement and ethics support, WP9 promotes RRI practices within the HBP, and helps to shape the direction of its research in ethically sound ways that serve the public interest.
We have worked to support a broad and comprehensive approach to RRI, ethics and societal impacts of brain research in the HBP since 2013. In the final phase of the project, our work focuses on finding ways to design and embed responsible research practices into EBRAINS, the international research infrastructure that the HBP will leave as its legacy.
Our research and activities are intended to increase understanding and implementation of RRI, and to promote the development of RRI capacities within the HBP and EBRAINS, and to further collaboration with other big brain projects in addressing ethical and societal issues, as well as increasing engagement and uptake of societal input for the development of EBRAINS.
We are joining forces with external stakeholders, citizens, and other international brain initiatives to:
- Explore and develop recommendations and strategies for managing short-term and long-term ethical issues raised by brain research (for example human rights, data protection, ethics standards, misuse/dual use, and good clinical practice, including considering diversity dimensions in research).
- Develop policies, procedures and training modules for the EBRAINS infrastructure to ensure it can operate in a legal and morally acceptable way, committed to principles of fairness and equal opportunities.
- Coordinate and manage ethical issues raised by HBP research, monitor and lead work on diversity aspects in both areas, namely the HBP community and the HBP research, and communicate and disseminate our insights and achievements.
Responsibility By Design Neuroethics & Philosophy Public Engagement Ethics Coordination Gender & Diversity Data Governance Dual Use Ethics Rapporteurs Ethics & Society Training Resources Foresight RRI Glossary
Register an Ethical Concern
Anyone can requests to address ethical, regulatory and social issues in Human Brain Project research. The POint of REgistration (PORE) is HBP’s mechanism to register and identify these issues and keep track of how they are dealt with.
