The new Center for Nanotechnology in Society at Arizona State University has their website up. The Center’s director, David Guston, has some comments in his blog [links added]:
“It is also this realm of Engines of Creation and “Plenty of Room at the Bottom” where scientists allowed their minds to take flight and speak of what might be seen over the horizon – of the realm of what might be done scientifically and technologically in the future. Drexler and Feynman have been heralded as prophets for their visions of what, in their view of technological possibilities, will be…
“In order for our ability to govern – that is, make social judgments about – emerging technologies like nanotechnology to improve, we must heed voices that describe plausible technological futures, to be sure. But we also need to develop the more prescriptive prophetic voice that helps us understand and commit to why any particular technological future deserves to come about.”
Quite so. Engines of Creation, which does some prescribing, is also available free online at Foresight. —Christine
