Jacob Metcalf

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About

Jacob Metcalf is a leading voice in the ethics of emerging technologies, with a primary focus on the intersection of food systems, biotechnology, and data governance. His work critically examines how technoscience reshapes our moral landscapes, particularly through the lens of "re-worlding"—the idea that new technologies fundamentally alter our social and ecological realities. His most-cited paper, "Meet Shmeat: Food System Ethics, Biotechnology and Re-Worlding Technoscience" (2013, 35 citations), offers a groundbreaking analysis of in-vitro meat, arguing that such innovations demand a complete rethinking of food ethics rather than simply solving existing problems. Drawing on Donna Haraway's and Kim Fortun's frameworks, Metcalf challenges conventional bioethics by showing how biotechnologies like "shmeat" create new forms of life, labor, and responsibility. Beyond this foundational work, Metcalf is widely recognized for his contributions to AI ethics and data justice, co-authoring influential pieces on algorithmic accountability and the ethical dimensions of data-intensive research. His scholarship bridges STS, philosophy, and applied ethics, making him a pivotal figure for students and researchers seeking to understand how technology rewrites the rules of human and nonhuman life.