Nanotechnology in the Age of Posthuman Engineering: Science Fiction as Science

Milburn, Colin

doi:10.1353/con.2003.0017

Cited by 74 publications

(50 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…At this scale particles have different mechanical, electrical, thermal, optical and magnetic properties, possibly allowing the development of a whole range of materials and devices with new applications in fields as diverse as medicine and energy production. It has been postulated that nanomachines will one day be responsible for food production, biological repair, sewage processing, commodity fabrication, and house cleaning (Milburn, 2002). Early discussions of molecular manufacturing were preoccupied with self-replicating nanomachines, and the prospect of the world being converted into a grey goo by these nanobots, a scenario sketched by Drexler in his seminal work (Drexler, 1986).…”

Section: Nanotechnologymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The cryonics community's endorsement of nanotechnology is probably not welcome news to those scientists studying the behaviour of matter on a very small scale. In fact nanoscientists have often sought to distance themselves from this type of science fiction speculation (Milburn, 2002) in much the same way as cryobiologists have sought to distance themselves from cryonics. The speculation increases even further when considering the life awaiting a resuscitated cryonics patient.…”

Section: Cryonicsmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Speculative Ethics: Valid Enterprise or Tragic Cul-De-Sac?

Jones¹,

Whitaker²,

King³

2011

Bioethics in the 21st Century

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Section: Nanotechnologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Cryonicsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Speculative Ethics: Valid Enterprise or Tragic Cul-De-Sac?

Jones¹,

Whitaker²,

King³

2011

Bioethics in the 21st Century

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“…For many environmental activists, inequities around new technologies are not just about human survival but also about, as McKibben (2003) (2004) and Milburn (2002Milburn ( , 2005aMilburn ( , 2005b feel the future is here in our collective cultural gaze. From postructuralist readings and the social theory of Foucault, the scope of 'nanotechnology and identity' can be described as seeing and feeling a nanoworld through media, cultural imagery of marketing and advertising, and Hollywood.…”

Section: Identitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Nanotechnology, Society, and Environment

Murphy¹,

Munshi²,

Kurian³

et al. 2011

Comprehensive Nanoscience and Technology

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SynopsisNanotechnology talk is moving out of its comfort zone of scientific discourse. As new products go to market and national and international organizations roll out public engagement programs on nanotechnology to discuss environmental and health issues, various sectors of the public are beginning to discuss what all the fuss is about. NonGovernmental Organizations have long since reacted; however, now the social sciences have begun to study the cultural phenomenon of nanotechnology, thus extending discourses and opening out nanotechnology to whole new social dimensions. We report here on these social dimensions and their new constructed imaginings, each of which is evident in the ways in which discourses around nanotechnology intersects with the economy, ecology, health, governance, and imagined futures. We conclude that there needs to be more than just an 'environmental, legal and social implications', or 'ELSI', sideshow within nanotechnology. The collective public imaginings of nanotechnology include tangles of science and science fiction, local enterprise and global transformation, all looking forward towards a sustainable future, while looking back on past debates about science and nature. Nanotechnology is already very much embedded in the social fabric of our life and times. IntroductionThe six volumes in this series have described powerful opportunities that nanotechnology presents for society, as represented by those of us who work within and around the physical sciences. But how is nanotechnology represented to and understood by the rest of society? What are the risks, benefits and other perspectives of nanotechnology that can be said to be shared knowledge among and between nano-specialists and non-specialists?Much of the discussion on nanotechnology covered in this chapter is often placed under the banner of environmental health and safety (EHS) issues or environmental, legal and social implications (ELSI), separating them from the science of nanomaterials. We prefer, however, to fix our gaze on the shared visions of technological specialists and nonspecialists alike when imagining a world with nanotechnology. As nanotechnology is seen as an important future development, scientific, technological, health and environmental issues associated with its application are expected to be closely linked to wider social, ethical and cultural concerns.This chapter focuses then on what can broadly be called the 'public imaginary' of nanotechnology. In this context, the term 'public' needs to be defined better. We refer 3 here to 'publics' rather than a singular public, reflecting the contemporary sociological view that science and technology is understood and used by various different public contexts, and that scientists of different hues are also part of these publics. We do not have the space here to present a detailed case about why understanding public perspectives on science is important. But the various perspectives of nanotechnology here will present enough evidence about the complexities of nanotechn...

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“…Der Gedanke wurde damals weder von anderen aufgegriffen noch existierte der Begriff der Nanotechnologie. Die ‚Geburt der Nanotechnologie aus dem Geist des Nobelpreisträgers' ist als ein Narrativ de-konstruiert worden (Milburn 2002;Baird/Nordmann et al 2004). 1974 benutzte der japanische Wissenschaftler Norio Taniguchi den Begriff Nanotechnologie, um Produktionstechnologien im Nanometer-Bereich zu charakterisieren: "In the ‚Nano-technology' in materials processing, the processing by one atom or one molecule should be fully utilized" (Taniguchi 1974) Sein Aufsatz erschien in einer abgelegenen Konferenzdokumentation und blieb seinerzeit ebenfalls ohne Wirkung.…”

Section: Iunclassified

Nanotechnologiepolitik: The discursive Making of Nanotechnology

Schaper-Rinkel¹

2010

Technologisierung Gesellschaftlicher Zukünfte

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Nanotechnology in the Age of Posthuman Engineering: Science Fiction as Science

Cited by 74 publications

References 33 publications

Speculative Ethics: Valid Enterprise or Tragic Cul-De-Sac?

Speculative Ethics: Valid Enterprise or Tragic Cul-De-Sac?

Nanotechnology, Society, and Environment

Nanotechnologiepolitik: The discursive Making of Nanotechnology

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