Comments on: Reducing bias in public participation in nanotech

By: Martin G. Smith

Martin G. Smith — Fri, 11 Aug 2006 23:59:57 +0000

Whole there are dangers inherent in all new technologies, whatever anyone might try to hide, will not stay hidden for long. I recall a Paul Sorvino line in the 1973 Movie ‘Day of the Dolphin’ – There are those who watch the people, and then those who watch the watchers’. [The Web being a marvelous place to watch the watchers, it just helped me to recall the facts].
While I am far from advocating a Free For All, let us not restrict out of Bias and/or Fear.

By: Nanodot: Nanotechnology News and Discussion » Blog Archive » Nanotechnology policy game for public shows bias

Wed, 09 Aug 2006 22:21:40 +0000

[...] Before such procedures will be useful for policymaking or effective public outreach, a lot of work is needed to make them more robust against bias. Maybe a more explicitly adversarial process (as mentioned previously) would be a more balanced way to do this. That’s how we do it when the issue is literally of life-and-death importance, e.g., a murder trial. [...]

By: yabbadabbado

yabbadabbado — Wed, 19 Jul 2006 01:48:00 +0000

Maybe if some institutions implemented fun hands-on displays at science museums across the country, it would make it less intimidating and more intriguing and fun.

It’s a small world after all. It’s a small world after all. It’s a small world after all. It’s a small small wooorrrrld. =) (taken from the song at Walt Disney World’s boat ride called It’s a Small World After All)

By: George Elvin

George Elvin — Mon, 10 Jul 2006 10:51:09 +0000

The UK may be setting a good example here, as their Council for Science and Technology is soliciting public input for its review of the Government's response to the Royal Society//Royal Academy of Engineering report, "Nanoscience and Nanotechnologies: opportunities and uncertainties". We’ll see how well the US can follow suit with the FDA’s public forum coming up this fall.