Bioethical aspects and impacts of emerging technologies on society and individuals

RESEARCH AREA: PHILOSOPHY AND THEOLOGY

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CONTRIBUTION TO THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS OF THE UCM

The goal of SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) is to ensure safe and equitably accessible biomedical innovations. Bioethical research at UCM analyzes the implications of gene editing, nanotechnology, and AI on health, rights, and autonomy and proposes ethical frameworks for practice and legislation, strengthening institutional credibility and responsible decision-making. At the same time, it fulfills SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure) by supporting responsible innovation and SDG 4 (Quality Education) by developing critical thinking through education and open communication. Partnerships develop SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).

Social demand	Bioethics in the age of technology highlights the impact of new discoveries on society and individuals. The rapid development of technologies such as gene editing, nanotechnology, and artificial intelligence is fundamentally changing everyday life, ethical standards, and ideas about the future of humanity. New dilemmas are emerging in society – from questions of health justice to the redefinition of humanity itself in the era of transhumanism. Technological progress brings enormous potential, but also risks that few institutions understand in sufficient depth.
UCM solution	Research conducted by the Department of Philosophy and Applied Philosophy at FF UCM focuses on the bioethical and social implications of emerging technologies. It analyzes their impact on health, legislation, values, and individual autonomy. The focus is on topics such as stem cells, NBIC technologies, gene therapy, and vaccination. Emphasis is also placed on transparent communication with the public—research results are presented in an understandable way to encourage critical thinking and open social discussion.
Social impact of the UCM solution	Research contributes significantly to shaping an informed and responsible public capable of facing the ethical challenges of the technological future. Survey results point to an alarming level of belief in conspiracy theories, which allows for more targeted awareness campaigns. Discussions initiated by a team of philosophers and bioethicists strengthen social dialogue and promote respect for scientific knowledge. The results also have implications for public policy-making and global bioethical frameworks.
Partnerships	The UCM Center for Bioethics is a platform for interdisciplinary research and international partnerships. The projects implemented were developed in collaboration with institutions such as the University of KwaZulu-Natal (South Africa) and New York University (USA). Thanks to cooperation with experts in the fields of medicine, law, and social sciences, it has been possible to combine theoretical knowledge with practical outputs that have a real social impact.
Contact	Prof. RNDr. Peter Sýkora, PhD. (peter.sykora@ucm.sk) Faculty of Philosophy Univerzita sv. Cyrila a Metoda v Trnave Nám. Jozefa Herdu 2 917 01 Trnava