The objective of this paper is to contribute to the expanding discourse on conceptual elements of TA. As a point of departure, it takes the recent transformation of the science, technology and innovation system (''technoscience''). We will show that the age of technoscience can be regarded as presenting not only a challenge, but also a chance and opportunity for TA. Embracing this opportunity, however, implies imposing several requirements on TA. In order to specify these requirements and to foster the ongoing discourse on the foundations of TA, this paper suggests a programmatic term: prospective technology assessment (ProTA). This term is intended mainly as a reflection framework, aimed at providing an extension and complement-and not a replacement-of well-established TA concepts. Three requirements for ProTA are sketched: (1) early stage orientation-the temporal dimension, (2) intention and potential orientation-the knowledge dimension, (3) shaping orientation-the power/actor dimension. Examples from fusion and nano research will illustrate the need for ProTA, as well as its specific focus. The paper concedes that ProTA is in its infancy and that there is a clear need for further clarification.Zusammenfassung Dieser Aufsatz möchte einen programmatischen Beitrag zur Theorie-Diskussion der TA leisten. Als deskriptive Basis für eine effektive TA erscheint hierfür die Berücksichtigung der derzeitigen Veränderung des Wissenschafts-, Technologie-und Innovationssystems (,,technoscience'') notwendig. Die Technoscience kann eher als eine Chance für TA denn als ein Problem
Collingridge's dilemma is one of the most well-established paradigms presenting a challenge to Technology Assessment (TA). This paper aims to reconstruct the dilemma from an analytic perspective and explicates three assumptions underlying the dilemma: the temporal, knowledge and power/actor assumptions. In the light of the recent transformation of the science, technology and innovation system-in the age of ''technoscience''-these underlying assumptions are called into question. The same result is obtained from a normative angle by Collingridge himself; he criticises the dilemma and advances concepts on how to keep a technology controllable. This paper stresses the relevance of the dilemma and of Collingridge's own ideas on how to deal with the dilemma. Today, a positive interpretation of technoscience for effective TA is possible.Zusammenfassung Ausgangspunkt ist das so genannte Collingridge Dilemma, das TA vielfach herausgefordert hat und noch immer herausfordert. Das Dilemma wird analytisch rekonstruiert. Wir führen drei zugrunde liegende Annahmen aus: eine zeitliche, eine wissensbezogene und eine akteurs-und einfluss-orientierte. Wird der derzeitige Wandel des Wissenschafts-, Technik-und Innovationssystems-im Zeitalter von Technoscience-mit betrachtet, dann zeigt sich, dass die zugrunde liegenden Annahmen nicht mehr gut begründbar sind. Das vorliegende Papier zeigt, dass dennoch die Ü berlegungen Collingridges, wie mit dem Dilemma umgegangen
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