Not everyone is a big fan of the United Nations or UNESCO, but the wording of their declarations has impact, and we can expect this year’s bioethics declaration (PDF format) to have an effect on later nanoethics documents. Here’s a clause that may come into play on the question of human enhancement: “The autonomy of… Continue reading Bioethics declaration may affect Nanoethics
Ron Bailey has written up his differences with Alan Goldstein, which were explored at a debate at the Foresight Vision Weekend a few days ago. “Waiting until the ethicists catch up with scientific and technological progress is a recipe for technological stagnation. Slowing innovation is not cost free. It makes a difference to tens of… Continue reading NanoBioEthics: Advancing past the "Carbon Barrier"
In an Oct 17 New York Times op-ed, Ray Kurzweil and Bill Joy combine forces to question the recent publication of the genome for the dangerous 1918 flu virus: “We urgently need international agreements by scientific organizations to limit such publications and an international dialogue on the best approach to preventing recipes for weapons of… Continue reading Kurzweil & Joy protest risky (natural) nanomachine recipe publication
The Nanologue project looking at societal aspects of nanotech has been very busy since its launch last spring. See their Mapping Study (and Appendix) and Background Paper (and Appendix), also their presentation at EuroNanoForum. An excerpt from the Mapping Study appendix summary of a RAND report: “Molecular manufacturing and Nanobots: no breakthrough until 2015 but… Continue reading EU-funded Nanologue project has been busy
The field of nanoethics has just gained two new organizations, both quite ambitious: The Center on Nanotechnology and Society at Illinois Institute of Technology, is headed by Nigel Cameron: “the Center is taking the lead in agenda-setting for the ethical, legal and social issues raised by nano. Our unique network of civil society leaders brings… Continue reading Nanoethics heats up
Jerry Glenn, Director of the Millennium Project sponsored by the American Council for the United Nations University, brings our attention to the 2005 State of the Future report, now available for ordering. He points out that the “Royal Society of Arts in London has just published a distillation, of the distillation, of the distillation of… Continue reading Nanotech's role in 15 Global Challenges
The Center for Bioethics and Culture, which sponsors the Technosapiens conference series, has published an essay by CBC Fellow Jodi Lamoureux on hype in nanotech. After critiquing comments by Richard Smalley, she summarizes: “It is not technology that gives mankind freedom from evil, but mankind that puts technology to good use. The corollary is that… Continue reading Bioconservatives express hope for nanotech
Foresight Research Associate Bryan Bruns reports: “Will heavy investments in nanotechnology lead to a North-South nanodivide? In the Policy Forum of the July 1 issue of Science, an article, Small Things and Big Changes in the Developing World, argues that the answer appears to be no. Mohammed H.A. Hassan of the Academy of Sciences for… Continue reading Nanotechnology in the developing world
[Update: see comments for link to full article] In an opinion editorial expected to run in the Wall Street Journal (subscription only) today [Update: it ran June 14], Environmental Defense President Fred Krupp and DuPont CEO Chad Holliday outline the steps that policymakers, academics, businesses and nonprofits need to take to maximize the potential and… Continue reading DuPont and Environmental Defense advocate 10% for nanotech testing
Gina Miller writes "The ETC group has spoken publicly again. While presenting at the 4th World Conference of Science Journalists, director of ETC Pat Mooney stressed that nanotechnology needs to be addressed by the United Nations due to his concerns of economic upheaval and intellectual property issues. While Mr. Mooney states that his group is not against nanotechnology, he believes nanotechnologies will replace current market applications and thus widen the gap between the rich and the poor. There was no mention of the known ways that nanotechnology could be implemented to narrow this gap. This article was found at SciDev."
