Towards an Ethical Framework in the Complex Digital Era

Abstract: The digital revolution has brought ethical crossroads of technology, behavior and truth. However, the need of a comprehensive and constructive ethical framework is emerging as digital platforms have been used to build a global chaotic and truth-agnostic system. The unequal structure of the global system leads to dynamic changes and systemic problems, which have a more significant impact on those that are most vulnerable. Ethical frameworks based only on the individual level are no longer sufficient as they lack the necessary articulation to provide solutions to the new challenges. A new ethical vision must comprise the understanding of the scales and complex interconnections, as well as the causal chains of modern social systems. Many of these systems are internally fragile and very sensitive to external factors and threats, which lead to unethical situations that require systemic solutions still centered on individuals. Furthermore, the multi-layered net-like social tissue generates clusters of power that prevent certain communities from proper development. Digital technology has also impacted at the individual level posing the risk of a more homogeneous, predictable and ultimately controllable humankind. To preserve the core of humanity and the aspiration of common truth, a new ethical framework must empower individuals and uniqueness, as well as cultural heterogeneity, tackling the negative outcomes of digitalization. Only combining human-centered and collectiveness-oriented digital development will it be possible to construct new social models and interactions that are ethical. This vision requires science to enhance ethical frameworks and principles using computational tools to support truth-grounded actions, so as to transform and configure properties of the social systems.