CRN Issues Call for Global Administration of MNT
Mike Treder writes "The Center for Responsible Nanotechnology (CRN) is calling for the creation of a special administrative system to deal with the problems of molecular manufacturing. 'We don't need it today,' said CRN Executive Director Mike Treder, 'but it will take time to create, and the technology could arrive before we're ready.'"
Mike Treder continues:
This proposal was the focus of a presentation by Treder at the recent 'Discovering the Nanoscale' academic conference in Darmstadt, Germany. CRN's conference paper, entitled 'Three Systems of Ethics: A Proposed Application for Effective Administration of Molecular Nanotechnology', is available online at http://CRNano.org/systems.htm.
Molecular nanotechnology (MNT) describes the principle of building products from the bottom up, molecule by molecule, with atomic precision. Such a powerful technology could create a wide variety of problems. CRN believes that no existing body can effectively manage all the benefits and risks.
"Faster and more precise manufacturing is desirable for many reasons," said Chris Phoenix, CRN's Director of Research. "But it appears that MNT could be developed quickly enough to destabilize many social and political institutions, unless we prepare well ahead of time."
The issues are not simple. "To maximize creativity and humanitarian benefit, people must be able to invent stuff and even to give it away. That has to be balanced against commercial interests, including protection of intellectual property," said Phoenix. "There also will be major security issues that could cross all borders. You can't construct a complex system to deal with all this at the last minute."
Prior to the advent of MNT, a collaborative international administrative structure will have to be designed and created to oversee the use of molecular manufacturing. "At worldwide levels, where things move slowly, this might take as long as twenty years," said Treder. "Advanced nanotechnology could arrive sooner than that, so urgent action is called for now."
The Center for Responsible Nanotechnology is headquartered in New York. CRN is an affiliate of World Care, an international, non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization. For more information on CRN, see http://CRNano.org/.
October 28th, 2003 at 4:53 AM
It cannot be regulated
As much as I have a great deal of respect for both Chris and Mike *and* as much as I would like to see a regulatory environment that promotes the safe use of nanotechnology I feel that it is necessary to point out that this ultimately cannot be accomplished.
Why? Because nanotechnology is small technology. It does not require large mines for uranium or large factories with hundreds of centrifuges for isotope separation. To detect and manage prohibited nanotechnology development one would have to implement ubiquitous surveillance and presumably some automated intelligence to interpret what is being observed.
As I pointed out at the Foresight 2003 SA conference — I own DNA synthesizers. So there are minimal barriers to my pulling off the recreation of a polio, influenza or smallpox virus (cost being a limiting factor). Even if the manufacture and use of DNA synthesizers were heavily regulated I (and many other chemical engineers) would know how to create such machines using unregulated resources. Bottom line — as knowledge becomes increasingly available the regulation of the use of such knowledge becomes increasingly futile.
This is clearly pointed out by the fact that while the CRN may have a useful strategy over the next few decades its long term perspective is pointless. One either has to imprison any and all intelligence within a CRN enforced framework (i.e. there is *no* independent colonization of bodies within or external to our solar system) or allow for the fact that the development of non-"responsible" uses of nanotechnology is inevitable. And IMO in those cases one had best have a good defense available.
Robert
October 31st, 2003 at 10:25 AM
Re:It cannot be regulated
It's impossible to know for sure what ultimately can be accomplished. But I would like to make a few clarifications.
1. CRN has no desire to become a regulatory body with enforcement powers as implied. Our aim, rather, is to encourage the design and creation of an effective global administrative council to oversee molecular manufacturing, under the auspices of a recognized and respected international organization.
2. One of CRN's key points for safe use of molecular manufacturing is the creation of a worldwide network of restricted nanofactories. Wide availability of free or low cost basic products could go a long way toward reducing the incentive for independent development of MNT capability. In turn, this would lessen the need for the type of ubiquitous surveillance suggested above. For more, see our paper at http://CRNano.org/safe.htm.
3. We've addressed the issue of providing free dissemination of knowledge while still protecting legitimate intellectual property rights in our paper on administration at http://CRNano.org/systems.htm.
4. I'm glad you agree that "CRN may have a useful strategy over the next few decades", because that's all we're concerned with at this point. Our focus is on the next 10-20 years. After that, it's obvious that the problems and capabilities (including regulatory capabilities) concerning MNT will change drastically. We're convinced, however, that unless we can implement some form of regulation in the short term, there may not be a long term to worry about. CRN wants to avoid large and foreseeable dangers in the immediate future, and, if possible, encourage the formation of structures that will be good foundations for longer-term issues.