Costituzione, scienza, tecnica : brevi note

Developments in science and technology increasingly influence all aspects of civil and individual life. These developments are mentioned in our Constitution, which considers them necessary, to offer every citizen a "free and dignified" quality of life and enable anybody to achieve the highest professional levels and play active roles in the Country's organization. Yet the text of the Constitution is vague and inadequate for regulating the application of ever changing scientific discoveries and technical applications which are always likely to be superseded. This has brought about the necessity to resort to ordinary law more and more. On the one hand, legislators are always late in face of innovation. On the other, the achievements of science and technology are sometimes controversial and not always accepted by the majority. In fact there is a growing demand for rules even from scientists and experts. In public legislation, union activities and in the legitimacy of the Constitution, as well as in ordinary jurisdiction, there are difficulties and obstacles. These arise from the need to balance and compensate for the pressing demand for material well being and other principles and interests granted by the Constitution. Other problems derive from judgements on implementation of techniques, motivated by opposing ethical perspectives as well as by different concepts of the human being.