The Norm of Nanotechnology

Maria Kozdroy

Blog #18

11-6-14

Disclaimer: this blog is to be used as a response to class discussion and readings.

The Norm of Nanotechnology

The purpose of nanotechnology is transforming materials on such a tiny level to create alternatives of what is already present today (such as producing a stronger “cotton”).  Currently, a tiny percentage of people know exactly of what is going on with the progress of this advancement.  According to Woodhouse in chapter 13 of his text The Future of Technological Civilization, he argues that decisions of science need to be directed to all individuals in society, including industries, scholars, government officials, scientists, media groups, and more.  He believes, too, that scientists are not very accountable for their work because of being so isolated from all the others associated with society.  Earlier in one of my blog posts, I argued that overconsumption should run its course, forcing engineers and scientists to find completely different solutions by that time.  Now, in this blog post, I am going to argue nanotechnology should continue progressing with as little as possible association with others in society except for the scientists themselves, as the problem of overconsumption will safely soon be solved.  In other words, nanotechnology should be researched and then implemented in society when appropriate and sufficiently fulfill government regulations.

This proposal may sound like a very drastic change, but with the problem of overconsumption becoming more and more feared, an alternative must be in full research right now.  Scientists must remain in full control of all scientific advancements to follow the rapid pace of technology.  If nanotechnology research is slowed down by the complaint that democratic groups for representation are very much needed, then this will only make more problems.  Currently, nanotechnology is a newer technology and there are many kinks associated with it.  In time these kinks will soon be resolved, and government should allow scientists to fully implement new materials and products in society. 

In an article written by the ETC Group titled A Tiny Primer on Nano-Scale Technologies and “The Little Bang Theory,” it mentions that cotton production will slowly come to halt and that the economy specifically in the south will struggle.  However, these struggles must be resolved, possibly soon there will be many factories of workers of an adequate knowledge of nanotechnology producing t-shirts of this newly synthesized material.  There will surely be a surplus of sources of information—school, internet, books—that by the time nanotechnology fully takes action more people will soon appreciate and understand.

As of right now, materials that undergo nanotechnology are very expensive.  In decades to come, the price of these new materials and products will significantly go down as many new companies will have the knowledge and ability to produce forms of nanotechnology.  For example, there are many companies competing with selling computers, this is how the newly nano-technologized cotton companies will be. 

Once nanotechnology is safely implemented, a new age of technology will be created that will need to be accepted in society, as it will be the norm.   Price of such products that are made from nanotechnological methods will decrease to an affordable price because society will fully have deviated from the technology of per se 2014.  Nanotechnology must progress by scientists and mainly only scientists for there to be a solution in time to overconsumption.  By that time there will be an increase of students going to college to study nanotechnology and many newly founded markets and companies. Again, this is a very drastic change, but will be a sufficient alternative to the growing problem today of overconsumption.

Sources:

ETC Group.  A Tiny Primer on Nano-Scale Technologies and “The Little Bang Theory”
Woodhouse, Edward. The Future of Technological Civilization