tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-255765354647516808.post785127045191276407..comments2024-02-19T00:39:49.642-08:00Comments on We Alone on Earth: The Ethics of NanotechnologyMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05279969393617122722noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-255765354647516808.post-3683221720134928662009-10-05T19:09:24.399-07:002009-10-05T19:09:24.399-07:00I think we were playing Devil's advocate : inv...I think we were playing Devil's advocate : inventing a fictitious regulatory scenario in which nanotechnology makes it impossible to control drug production.<br /><br />random nanotech articles of today : <br /><br />http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091004141152.htm<br /><br />http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20427285.800-a-sprinkling-of-nanotubes-makes-plants-shoot-up.html?Mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05279969393617122722noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-255765354647516808.post-22229253672742435542009-09-29T18:54:41.757-07:002009-09-29T18:54:41.757-07:00Regarding your aside on the topic of drugs, and sc...Regarding your aside on the topic of drugs, and scheduling precursors, current DEA statistics seem to show that this is not effective by itself, merely moving production to other precursors, or moving it entirely to countries with less stringent or more easily corruptible controls.<br />Any effort to reduce the supply of a substance to market without reducing the demand merely increases the priceDavenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-255765354647516808.post-15105304817918472252009-09-17T17:37:21.443-07:002009-09-17T17:37:21.443-07:00agrees with Anonymous. Again, I would prefer margi...agrees with Anonymous. Again, I would prefer marginally fewer restrictions on research, but given the social harm caused by previous new technologies I can hardly blame them for being cautious.Mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05279969393617122722noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-255765354647516808.post-30228973873327788252009-09-17T10:47:12.062-07:002009-09-17T10:47:12.062-07:00I feel that a standardization of terms would actua...I feel that a standardization of terms would actually be a benefit to nano-tech research. Consider the educational implications. If a standard terminology was in place similar to that used by IUPAC for naming organic compounds, it could allow for students at an undergraduate level to easily be indoctrinated into this field of study.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-255765354647516808.post-80669416070504490222009-09-16T16:05:51.417-07:002009-09-16T16:05:51.417-07:00"extend the prohibition to even theoretical r..."extend the prohibition to even theoretical research relating to creating new pathogens" ... <br /><br />So if I were to write a paper entitled something like "A Mathematical and Computational model of pathogen emergence from subviral replicating elements" or "Toward a unified theory of pathogen Design and Re-hybridization" or "Recombinant Techniques for Mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05279969393617122722noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-255765354647516808.post-57503666449136525352009-09-16T13:29:30.037-07:002009-09-16T13:29:30.037-07:00If this reaches into biotech I will be .. upset. F...If this reaches into biotech I will be .. upset. For instance, if I discover a wild bacteriophage that helps me cure a deadly bacterial infection, I should be able to use it to treat people who are dying. If I then mutate that virus to accelerate its evolution under artificial selection to make it a better medicine, then I should be able to use that. The approval process for drugs and medical Mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05279969393617122722noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-255765354647516808.post-90237519286861113692009-09-16T13:15:15.399-07:002009-09-16T13:15:15.399-07:00on 4.1.15:
Judging from my previous work on biolog...on 4.1.15:<br />Judging from my previous work on biological warfare, this would extend the prohibition to even theoretical research relating to creating new pathogens. Self-replicating nanotech is the ultimate bad scenario. The EU follows the precautionary principle, which assumes something is unsafe until it proven safe. Getting a bacteriophage through human testing would be a herculean task.<brMichael BFhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16757274897589421838noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-255765354647516808.post-368798129496135192009-09-16T10:09:45.998-07:002009-09-16T10:09:45.998-07:00Most of this document is eminently reasonable. How...Most of this document is eminently reasonable. However, the prohibitions section contains language that would stifle research if improperly interpreted.<br /><br />on 4.1.15 :<br />The "new viruses with pathogenic potentials" language is vague: Is a point mutation from an existing virus a new virus ? What about recombination of existing viral strains ? What about modifying and Mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05279969393617122722noreply@blogger.com