Societal Implications of Nanoscale Science and

Technology

Bruce E. SeelyMichigan Tech NUE Workshop

July 2-3, 2003

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Societal Implications of Nanotechnology

• Qualitatively New Step in Miniaturization Basic Scientific Breakthroughs New Technologies

• Economic Consequences: But Always Balance the Hype Industrial Manufacturing , Materials and Product Medicine and the Human Body Sustainability: Environment

Filters; Solar Cells; Catalysts; Efficient lighting, Nanocomposites

Space Exploration (Environment, Energy, Water) National Security/Economic Competitiveness Nanocomputing: Extending Moore’s Law Interactions May Offer greatest benefits

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• Ethical Challenges “Playing God?”

Limits? Essence of Humanity? Ethics of Implants? Eugenics? Replication – Brains? Possibility of Sentient Machines?

Risk and Harm: Patients and Testing? Values: Individual or Community?

Control over Personal Information? Equally Distributing Costs & Benefits

What can be Patented?What Research Gets Funded?Access and Availability of Results

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• Societal InteractionsPublic Acceptance/Resistance

Post-WW II Ambivalence to Technology A Cautionary Tale -- Genetically-Modified Food Complexity causes Uncertainty: Science vs.

CommonsenseNano: Invisible and Intrusive

Unintended ConsequencesPast History, Impact on InstitutionsNANO: Uncontrolled Replication?Past Predictions and Faulty Crystal Balls

Who Wins, Who Loses? Haves and Have-nots.Who Decides? Control and Public Participation

Mis-use? Standards? Kranzberg’s LawEnthusiasm And Hype Vs. Uncertainty Of The Future

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• Education of Informed Scientists and EngineersExpertise and its LimitsNeutrality? Dialogue during ResearchResponses and Attitudes toward CriticsResponsibility

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CONCLUSION

“…many intricate societal and institutional adjustments transcending in complexity and uncertainty the redirection of private investment planning, are usually entailed in effecting the passage from one technological regime to another. On this view there are likely to be many difficulties and obstacles that normal market processes cannot readily overcome.”

Irwin Feller, in Roco and Bainbridge, Societal Implications of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, pp. 112-13.

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NANO Sources

Ratner & Ratner, 2003

B.C. Crandell, ed., 1996

David Newton, 2002 Excellent list of sources

8Roco and Bainbridge, 2001. Proceedings of NSF Conference

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Scientific American 285 (March 2001)

Technology Review 105 (March 2002)