Comments on: Not every country needs a nanotechnology program now http://www.foresight.org/nanodot/?p=2347 examining transformative technology Wed, 03 Apr 2013 18:23:47 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 By: Mark Thompson http://www.foresight.org/nanodot/?p=2347#comment-53358 Mark Thompson Wed, 25 Oct 2006 16:03:20 +0000 http://www.foresight.org/nanodot/?p=2347#comment-53358 To illustrate my previous point. Let us suppose that nanotechnology becomes the main manufacturing technology which results in significant cost reductions. All manufacturers regardless of where they are located will have to adopt this technology in order to survive. Additionally, due to the disaggregation of production and outsourcing, all countries, whether developed or underdeveloped, will need to have the technology in place in order to capture some of the outsourcing business. Therefore, all countries should be developing expertise in nanotechnology. However, the danger is, unlike nuclear technology, nanotechnology has widespread manufacturing and health care uses in addition to its military applications. Consequently, one can never know for sure what secret applications are being developed. To illustrate my previous point. Let us suppose that nanotechnology becomes the main manufacturing technology which results in significant cost reductions. All manufacturers regardless of where they are located will have to adopt this technology in order to survive. Additionally, due to the disaggregation of production and outsourcing, all countries, whether developed or underdeveloped, will need to have the technology in place in order to capture some of the outsourcing business.

Therefore, all countries should be developing expertise in nanotechnology. However, the danger is, unlike nuclear technology, nanotechnology has widespread manufacturing and health care uses in addition to its military applications. Consequently, one can never know for sure what secret applications are being developed.

]]> By: Bob Kelly http://www.foresight.org/nanodot/?p=2347#comment-52586 Bob Kelly Tue, 24 Oct 2006 16:49:25 +0000 http://www.foresight.org/nanodot/?p=2347#comment-52586 While my statement shall sound alarmist, third world investment in nanotech is either an attempt to "jump ahead" in technology to be competitive in the future, or an attempt to effectively create the equavalent of a nuclear bomb that is below the UN radar. To the first point, ANY investment in technology will result in an economic boost. I'd like to give the leader for life the benefit of the doubt, but my cynicism believes that the money invested in nanotech will end up in his pockets rather than in any viable research that could further threaten the region. While my statement shall sound alarmist, third world investment in nanotech is either an attempt to “jump ahead” in technology to be competitive in the future, or an attempt to effectively create the equavalent of a nuclear bomb that is below the UN radar.

To the first point, ANY investment in technology will result in an economic boost. I’d like to give the leader for life the benefit of the doubt, but my cynicism believes that the money invested in nanotech will end up in his pockets rather than in any viable research that could further threaten the region.

]]> By: Mark Thompson http://www.foresight.org/nanodot/?p=2347#comment-51894 Mark Thompson Mon, 23 Oct 2006 18:24:38 +0000 http://www.foresight.org/nanodot/?p=2347#comment-51894 Dear Christine, I understand the point you are raising. However, development is not linear in terms of each country sorting out its basic economic and political problems before moving on to the next stage at which the US was at perhaps fifty or a hundred years ago. Due to the integrationist effects of globalisation, even poor countries have to incorporate the latest technologies in their economies in order to achieve competitiveness. So, even the so called Third World needs nanotechnology to the extent that such developments become mainstream in the global economy. MT Dear Christine,

I understand the point you are raising. However, development is not linear in terms of each country sorting out its basic economic and political problems before moving on to the next stage at which the US was at perhaps fifty or a hundred years ago. Due to the integrationist effects of globalisation, even poor countries have to incorporate the latest technologies in their economies in order to achieve competitiveness. So, even the so called Third World needs nanotechnology to the extent that such developments become mainstream in the global economy.

MT

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