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Current Results of Our Research
These pages, marked with
GREEN headings, are published for
comment and criticism. These
are not our final findings; some of these opinions will probably change.
LOG OF UPDATES
CRN Research: Overview of Current Findings
Thirty Essential Nanotechnology Studies - #25
Overview of all studies: Because of the largely
unexpected transformational power of molecular manufacturing, it is urgent to
understand the issues raised. To date, there has not been anything approaching
an adequate study of these issues. CRN's recommended series of
thirty essential studies
is organized into five sections, covering fundamental theory, possible
technological capabilities, bootstrapping potential, product capabilities, and
policy questions. Several preliminary conclusions are stated, and because our
understanding points to a crisis, a parallel process of conducting the studies
is urged.
CRN is actively looking for researchers interested in
performing or assisting with this work. Please contact CRN Research Director
Chris Phoenix if you would like more information or if you have comments on
the proposed studies.
| Study #25 |
What
effect could this have on civil rights and liberties? |
| |
Study the extent
to which
advanced technologies will allow violation or protection of civil rights.
|
| Subquestion |
What effect will
new surveillance capabilities have on privacy (used by government or
privately)? |
| Preliminary answer |
Extremely cheap
manufacture of tiny integrated sensor/network/self-positioning packages, as
well as sufficient computer power to store and integrate the information,
could completely destroy privacy, unless strenuous decontamination efforts
are used. |
| Subquestion |
What effects will
new surveillance capabilities and/or weapons have on governments and other
power wielders? |
| Preliminary answer |
An unaided human
would be completely defenseless against even primitive versions of a sensor
web and telepresence robotics. |
| Subquestion |
What effects
could new medical technologies have on personal autonomy and sanctity of
thought? |
| Preliminary answer |
Implanted
chemical monitors could indicate emotional state. Implanted dispensers could
manipulate it. We don't know how feasible or difficult it would be to read
thoughts from brain electrode arrays, but we can already read intentions to
move muscles (in monkeys). |
| Subquestion |
To what extent
will abuses and crimes increase demand for security and control? |
| Preliminary answer |
This is far too
much power to allow criminals to have. It would send us back to a "state
of nature" where no one is safe from anyone else without constant
vigilance. For comparison, consider the vulnerability of most home computers
to worms and viruses. Compare with the effects of 9/11 on public acceptance
of government monitoring (PATRIOT Act, etc.). |
| Subquestion |
To what extent
will new capabilities increase demand for autonomy? |
| Preliminary answer |
It will be much
easier to live 'off grid', perhaps even off earth. There will be strong
demand for health improvement, which leads naturally to human augmentation.
|
| Subquestion |
To what extent
can manufacturing breakthroughs alleviate poverty and misery? |
| Preliminary answer |
This question is
important because poverty and misery are breeding grounds for instability
and terrorism, and extreme poverty is a human rights violation according to
the
UN Declaration. It should be possible to eradicate poverty and misery
worldwide with very little effort or cost. |
| Conclusion |
Molecular manufacturing technology will force some very hard choices
about civil rights. A nano-enabled group that does not consider human rights
to be of fundamental importance will be able to violate them utterly. Even
when human rights are respected, our concept of them may have to evolve to
deal with new and pervasive technological capabilities.
|
| Other studies |
1.
Is
mechanically guided chemistry a viable basis for a manufacturing technology?
2. To what extent is molecular manufacturing counterintuitive and
underappreciated in a way that causes underestimation of its importance?
3. What is
the performance and potential of diamondoid machine-phase chemical
manufacturing and products?
4. What is the performance and potential of biological programmable
manufacturing and products?
5. What is the performance and potential of nucleic acid
manufacturing and products?
6. What other chemistries and options should be studied?
7. What
applicable sensing, manipulation, and fabrication tools exist?
8. What will be required to develop diamondoid machine-phase chemical
manufacturing and products?
9. What will be required to develop biological programmable
manufacturing and products?
10. What will be required to develop nucleic acid manufacturing and
products?
11. How rapidly will the cost of development decrease?
12. How could an effective development program be structured?
13. What is
the probable capability of the manufacturing system?
14. How capable will the products be?
15. What will the products cost?
16. How rapidly could products be designed?
17. Which
of today's products will the system make more accessible or cheaper?
18. What new products will the system make accessible?
19. What impact will the system have on production and distribution?
20. What effect will molecular manufacturing have on military and
government capability and planning, considering the implications of arms
races and unbalanced development?
21. What effect will this have on macro- and microeconomics?
22. How can proliferation and use of nanofactories and their products
be limited?
23. What effect will this have on policing?
24. What beneficial or desirable effects could this have?
26. What are the disaster/disruption scenarios?
27. What effect could this have on geopolitics?
28. What policies toward development of molecular manufacturing does
all this suggest?
29. What policies toward administration of
molecular manufacturing does all this suggest?
30. How can appropriate policy be made and implemented?
|
| Studies should begin
immediately. |
The situation is
extremely urgent. The stakes are unprecedented, and the world is unprepared.
The basic findings of these studies should be verified as rapidly as
possible (months, not years). Policy preparation and planning for
implementation, likely including a crash development program, should begin
immediately. |
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