Apr 7, 2007 0
Eric Drexler – an unauthorized biography
PFN (2002): Since the ancient roman philosopher Demokrit introduced the concept of atoms as the fundament of matter, mankind has sought to control and manipulate the environment. The later alchemical ideas of the elements “earth, wind, water and fire” and the transmutation of metal into gold shows early interest in the complexity of nature. The evolution of the sciences cumulated with the academic disciplines of physics, chemistry and biology. Drexler fuses all these disciplines into the multi-disciplinary field of molecular manufacturing and nanotechnology.
“If you want to know
what molecular nanotechnology is,
look yourself in the mirror”
- Eric Drexler
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PFN (2002): Armageddon, The Apocalypse, Ragnarok, Doomsday; the end of the world seems to have mesmerized mankind since the dawn of civilization. Eschatology, the branch of theology that is concerned with the end times, has formed the human psyche through its religious influence. To ensure the propagation and betterment of mankind we need less mythomania and zealots and more applied foresight to confront the actual problems that threaten to annihilate humans on a large scale.
PFN (2002): The media coverage of the recent opening of the MIT Insitute for Soldier Nanotechnologies was mostly confined to articles with a clear news angle. A deep information-rich analysis of the consequences of military nanotechnology on the stability of the world system is rare in mainstream media. This report will examine some consequences of this disruptive emerging technology on military affairs.
PFN (2002): The idea of the perfect human has been around a long time. From Lao Tze to Nietsche and Galton, many great minds have described certain desirable and non-desirable qualities of man. Until recently, all human reproduction resulted from sexual intercourse, and couples had to be prepared for the luck of the natural lottery. Now powerful new technologies are changing the reproductive landscape and challenging basic notions about procreation, parenthood, family, and children. Recent scientific discoveries within the field of human genetics and reproductive technologies have revitalized many timeless thoughts about human perfection.
