Functional Understanding Of Quantum Technology Is Essential To The Ethical Debate About Its Impact

Abstract

As the innovative potential of quantum technologies comes into focus, so too does the urgent need to address their ethical implications. While many voices highlight the importance of ethical engagement, less attention has been paid to the conditions that make such engagement possible. In this article, I argue that technological understanding is a foundational capacity for meaningful ethical reflection on emerging technology like quantum technologies. Drawing on De Jong & De Haro's account of technological understanding (2025a; 2025b), I clarify what such understanding entails and how it enables ethical enquiry. I contend that ethical assessment, first and foremost, requires an understanding of what quantum technologies can do - their functional capacities and, by extension, their potential applications. Current efforts to build engagement capacities among broader audiences - within and beyond academic contexts - tend, however, to focus on explaining the underlying quantum mechanics. Instead, I advocate a shift from a physics-first to a functions-first approach: fostering an understanding of quantum technologies' capabilities as the basis for ethical reflection. Presenting technological understanding as an epistemic requirement for meaningful ethical engagement may appear to raise the bar for participation. However, by decoupling functional understanding from technical expertise, this condition becomes attainable for a broader group, contributing not only to a well-informed but also to a more inclusive ethical debate.