Introduction to the novel truth "Prey" , Michael Crichton
Stegassy Ruth, along Marina Maestrutti, philosopher, doctoral candidate in sociology, explores imagery related to the prospects offered by the NBIC convergence, the meeting of nanotechnology, biotechnology, information technology and cognitive science. If you've never heard of of transhumanism, you'll be surprised, it's the least we can say! At a time when the headlong rush of technology is subject to more and more questions, faith transhumanists surprises. Barn? At one time or another, during the twenty-first century, the encounter between our carelessness and blind our growing technological power will trigger a veritable explosion. A particularly conducive to this meeting is at the junction of nanotechnology, biotechnology and informatics. Three areas have in common the means to release into the environment entities capable of reproduction.
We live for several years with the first of these entities, computer viruses. And we begin to have practical experience of the problems created by biotechnology. The recent report that, in Mexico, corn seeds undergo genetic changes - despite the legislation and controls - is the first step of a long and difficult journey ahead before reaching the mastery of our technologies .
Meanwhile, entrenched beliefs about the absence of risks in the field of biotechnology - a view held by most biologists since the 1970s - are now being challenged. Inadvertent creation of a highly destructive virus by Australian researchers in 2001 has led many experts to rethink the issue. obviously, we will not consider in the future this technology with the recklessness of the past.
Nanotechnology is the latest-born and, in some ways, the most radical. They are interested in building machines much smaller in size, about one hundred nanometers, or one hundred billionths of a meter, and thus about a thousand times smaller than the diameter of a hair. Experts say, these machines provide both miniaturized electronic components as new treatments against cancer as new weapons of war.
The concept of nanotechnology since 1959. It is found in a paper by Richard Feynman entitled "There is room below" (There's Plenty of Room at the bottom).
Four decades later, the specialty is still in its infancy despite the incessant hype. However, progress has been made and investments are increasing considerably. Companies such as IBM, Fujitsu and Intel spend enormous budgets on research. These last two years, the U.S. government has invested a billion dollars in nanotechnology.
Products from this research are already arriving on the market: sunscreens, stain-resistant fabrics, composite materials for cars. Others will be sold soon: computers and storage devices are very small.
Some of these "miracle" so long awaited start to appear. In 2002, a company is selling a self-cleaning glass, another a dressing consisting of nanocrystals, with antibiotic properties and anti-inflammatory.
Nanotechnology primarily interested today in the composition of materials, but their potential applications go well beyond ...
For several decades, one wonders about the creation of machines capable of self-made; in 1980, a publication of NASA was reviewing different ways to achieve it. 10 years ago, two renowned scientists have seriously tackled the question: "In fifty to a hundred years, we'll probably see a new class of organisms. These organizations will be artificial in the sense that they have been designed by man. But they will have the ability to reproduce and they "evolve" to something other than their original form, they will "live" in the different meanings of this term ... The pace of change will be extremely fast ...
The consequences for humanity and the biosphere could be enormous, even greater than the industrial revolution, nuclear weapons or environmental pollution. We have already taken steps to prepare the conditions for the emergence of artificial organisms. " [Farmer, J. Doyne of A and Aletta. Belin, Artificial Life: The Coming Evolution in Artificial Life II ].
K. Eric Drexler, the champion of nanotechnology, was expressing concerns similar: "Many people, myself included, that the consequences of this technology to fill a deep unease. There are so many things to change the risk is high that the company, lack of preparation, do not know do it. " [K. Eric Drexler, Introduction to Nanotechnology, in Prospects in Nanotechnology].
According to the most optimistic (or more alarmist's point of view), they will not see the day for several decades.
We are entitled to expect that when they make their appearance, we have implemented ways to control international creations technology capable of reproducing.
We also hope that these controls will be applied rigorously, we have already learned to deal with the manufacturers of computer virus with a severity unimaginable twenty years ago. We send the hackers behind bars.
Specialists rogue biotechnology will soon be housed in the same boat. But it is obviously possible that there is no means of control. Or that someone manages to create much sooner than we imagine orgsnismes of artificial self-reproducing. If this happens, it is difficult to predict consequences.
Here, in summary, the truth about the novel "Prey" by Michael Crichton
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