technoprogressives

Technoprogressives are proponents of using science and technology to advance human welfare within liberal democratic and human rights frameworks. They advocate for responsible, equitable innovation that maximizes social good while minimizing harms, and they emphasize democratic governance, transparency, and accountability in technology policy. Technoprogressives typically combine optimism about scientific and engineering advances with critical attention to ethical, governance, and distributive concerns.

Core principles include evidence-based policymaking, open science, and investment in education; safeguarding privacy and civil liberties in a data-driven world; ensuring that the benefits of technological progress are broadly shared; and guiding development through inclusive, participatory decision making. They emphasize safety, risk assessment, and regulatory approaches that are proactive rather than reactive for technologies such as artificial intelligence, biotechnology, neurotechnology, and automation.

Policy agendas commonly feature public funding for research and development, social protections to offset job displacement, universal basic income or retraining programs, digital rights, data stewardship, and mechanisms for responsible innovation that align corporate incentives with public good. They support open access to research, transparent algorithmic systems, and avenues for citizen oversight.

Historically, the term emerged in early 21st-century science-policy and transhumanist circles, and is associated with groups such as the Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies. The label signals a stance that seeks to harness technology to improve equality and democratic governance, rather than to entrench power.

Related discussions occur at the intersection of transhumanism, bioethics, AI ethics, and technology policy. Critics warn that techno-optimism can overlook social and political risks, while technoprogressives argue for governance structures that keep pace with rapid innovation.