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Mapping Wild Cards

Inspired by: FP7 » Brain Capacity Testing

version: 6 / updated: 2011-01-27
id: #1517 / version id: #76
mode: VIEW

Originally submitted by: Cornelia Daheim
List of all contributors by versions (mouse over)
Last changed by: Sivert von Saldern
WI-WE status:
submitted unpublished

Source of inspiration

European Commission Framework Programme for RTD (FP7)

Theme/activity of inspiration

Theme 1 - Health

Sub-theme/area of inspiration

Other actions across health themes

Uploaded reports, images or pictures related to the Wild Card

File name File type File size
Brain.jpg image 155804 open

Headline

(max. 9 words)

Brain Capacity Testing

Description

(approx. 150 words)
Please describe the Wild Card (approx. 150 words)
Employees or e.g. international migrants are being "brain tested" by companies, if they have "good" (long life, good memory) brains. Bad brains are being discriminated against. Even school kids are being placed according to the results of their brain tests.

Keywords

brain, brain testing, memory, discrimination, brain liability

Mini-description

(max. 250 characters)

Employees or e.g. international migrants are being "brain tested" by companies, if they have "good" (long life, good memory) brains. Bad brains are being discriminated against. Even school kids are being placed according to their test results.

Likelihood

Closest timeframe for at least 50% likelihood
Please use one of the following options:
now-2050

Features of life if the wild card manifests

Feature 1: business models and industrial environment
There might be a high discrimination of people having "bad brains" in the labour markets and on the job. The increased use of brain scanning techniques in assessment centers might particularly lead to a high unemployment rate of people having low "brain values", especially in the knowledge-intense sectors.

Type of event

Unplanned consequence of events/trends/situations (e.g. financial crisis, accidental breakthrough)

Type of emergence

please select (if any) describe related trend or situation
A new development/situation
(e.g. a Romani state is established in central Europe; A message from an alien civilisation existing on a distant planet is received and understood, etc.

Type of systems affected

Human-built Systems - E.g. organisations, processes, technologies, etc.

Classification

Undesirable

Importance

please specify:
please select
Level 4: important for the whole world

Latent phase

Obstacles for early indentification

cultural/religious filters (values, traditions, faith, spiritual beliefs)
institutional filters (rules, laws, regulations)
economic filters (business/market interests)

Manifestation phase

Type of manifestation

In a probably enclosed way (e.g. geographically, sectorally)

Aftermath phase

Important implications
Collapse of a system

Key drivers or triggers

Provide up to 2 possible drivers or triggers of HIGH importance. Click on HELP to see examples:
please describe
Driver / Trigger 1 		please describe
Driver / Trigger 2
Economic Companies of all business fields always seek the best skilled workers and brains. Brain capacity tests might just be the next step beyond conventional assessment centres.

Potential impacts (risks & opportunities)

Timeframe options
Risks Opportunities
immediate
(within 1 year after the Wild Card manifests) 		A growing number of people might be discriminated against due to bad test results. This might lead to social riots.

Potential stakeholders' actions

before
it occurs 		after
it occurs
Policy actors (at the international, European and national levels) Goverments could enact laws against the application of brain capacity tests.

Relevance for Grand Challenges

where? please justify:
particularly relevant Europe world
Coexistence and conflicts
Ethics and abuse of S&T
Social exclusion & poverty
Social cohesion and diversity
Innovation dynamics

Relevance for thematic research areas

please justify:
particularly relevant
Social Sciences and Humanities
Security
Regional development

Pan-European strategies potentially helping to deal with the wild card

please justify:
particularly relevant
Increasing the efficiency and impact of public research through Joint Programming (i.e. combining national and pan-European research efforts) or the optimisation of research programmes and priorities, for example.
Fostering and facilitating coherent international cooperation in science and technology

 Features of a research-friendly ecology contributing to deal with the wild card

For further information about 'research-friendly strategies' click here

please justify:
particularly relevant
Addressing cohesion through a localised articulation between supply and demand
(e.g. making research institutions more engaged with their own context and local users; reinforcing knowledge flows into and out of regions; etc.
Creating a closer link between researchers & policy-makers
(e.g. supporting both thematic and cross-cutting policies, highlighting the strategic purpose of the European Research Area, etc.

Relevance for future R&D and STI policies

Note: RTD = research and technology development; STI = science, technology and innovation
Academic research should rather focus on the exploration of alternative forms of education and training systems to promote high educational and practical skills instead of developing “brain capacity tests”.