technologines

Technologines is a neologism used in discussions of technology studies to denote a composite metric or concept that captures the overall societal and ecological impact of a technology across its life cycle. A technologine is not a physical entity but a theoretical unit representing the balance of benefits and harms produced by the technology, including factors such as productivity gains, accessibility, environmental footprint, privacy and security risks, and long-term sustainability.

The term appears in speculative ethics and critical design literature, where it is used to compare alternatives and argue for responsible innovation. The proposed framework often defines several dimensions: efficiency (economic and productive gains), equity (distribution of benefits and burdens), sustainability (resource use and environmental impact), resilience (ability to cope with shocks), and governance (transparency and accountability).

Measurements are typically qualitative or composite indices, combining user studies, lifecycle analysis, and risk assessment. In practice, technologists and policy discussions may reference the technologine to argue for higher positive scores through inclusive design, repairability, and safety measures, or to warn against technologies with high negative scores.

Critics note that any single metric risks oversimplification of complex social effects and may embed value judgments. Advocates, however, argue that technologines can help organize debate and foreground long-term consequences alongside immediate utility. See also technology assessment, impact assessment, ethics of technology.