Ektogenese: Ein Beispiel für die Relevanz der Science-Fiction für die Technikfolgenabschätzung

Following groundbreaking advances such as the successful cultivation of a sheep in the early fetal stage in a ‘biobag’ – an artificial womb –, public debate about ectogenesis in humans has intensified in recent years. We analyze depictions of ectogenesis in science fiction works, asking what can be learnt for technology assessment. The works are considered under the reproductive justice framework to identify negative and positive application scenarios. The results illustrate the high relevance of sociopolitical and economic conditions and thus of open ethical and regulatory debates and democratic legal frameworks when dealing with emerging technologies. From a methodological perspective, the example of ectogenesis confirms that the triad of utopianism/dystopianism, technofuturism, and science fiction is key to analyzing discourse on (bio)technologies.