Play and decide
2011 is the International Year of Chemistry, for which several workshops and actions have been organized in the Alhóndiga of Bilbao. One of them is called Play Decide, Play and Decide. And as the name suggests, the goal of the initiative has been to make decisions through gambling. Taking nanotechnology as a starting point, the participants talked about the intervention that society should have in relation to new technologies.
ENERITZ MUGURUZA; Elhuyar Foundation: We talked about science. We have taken nanotechnology as a starting point, from which we have proposed the benefits that this entails, the risks that it entails, and the attitudes that society must take towards it: whether it must accept the development of nanotechnology without any regulation or specific policy, or whether society must participate and establish a regulation... We've discussed that.
ENERITZ MUGURUZA; Elhuyar Foundation: Each participant has a table mat in front of them and receives information through a series of cards. Then, in a second phase, they discuss and try to reach a group point of view. In the final phase, they try to take a political or social position.
NEREA RODRIGUEZ: In general, about nanotechnology. But we've also discussed applications, consequences, who pays for research... I knew they were doing tests to treat the cancer, but little else. I got out of here with a positive opinion. I think it's got more good parts.
ENERITZ MUGURUZA; Elhuyar Foundation: The general conclusion has been that we are in favour of advances in nanotechnology, but that regulation is still needed. That is to say, it is necessary to ask society what it thinks, or at least to set some limits. These conclusions are uploaded to the PlayChoices website. The conclusions of similar initiatives organised in Europe and around the world are also posted on this website. So you can see what people are saying in Europe or around the world.
NEREA RODRIGUEZ: I find it very useful to be able to know the opinion of an entire continent through a website and to know what people of your age or other ages think.
THE SUN TRAVELS: I think it’s important to let people know what they think. I think there should be places for this kind of discussion; places for discussion that serve something purpose. That is, those that will have a real impact on the decision of what and how to do with this issue.
MARÍA GIL; Elhuyar Foundation: Everyone believes that science and technology are increasingly important and have a direct impact on our lives, and at the Elhuyar Foundation we work to socialize and bring this reality closer to the people. With this project, in particular, instead of this one-way relationship - that is, the agents inform society about science and technology and the public receives it - we seek the participation of people with ideas like this.
ENERITZ MUGURUZA; Elhuyar Foundation: This is the first time we have done this. On the one hand, it was an experiment to see how people react and what they think... We would love to do it more often.
NEREA RODRIGUEZ: Yesterday, when I saw it in the GPS magazine, my mother told me that they were going to do some science games here. I called my friend, and today we came.
THE SUN TRAVELS: It's all right. I came to see what this was about, because I never participated in an open debate about technology.
NEREA RODRIGUEZ: It has been a very good experience and I would recommend that you come if you do it again.
Buletina
Bidali zure helbide elektronikoa eta jaso asteroko buletina zure sarrera-ontzian
Teknopolis
