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Nanotechnology: a way of understanding ourselves

By Christine Peterson, on January 22nd, 2008

We’ve previously pointed out the usefulness of looking at future-oriented fiction as a way of stimulating thinking about nanotechnology. Now Annalee Newitz’s io9 site brings an interview of Kathleen Ann Goonan, who “was writing about nanotech before most people even know it existed.” An excerpt:

I think that, for me, nanotech has been a metaphor for the power of thought, and for the power of language. This may sound odd, but it seems that the more we understand matter and the more we are able to manipulate it and to make decisions about how and why to do so, the better we understand ourselves.

Well put! Oddly, some seem to feel that knowing the physical world better — including our own brains/minds — undermines something wonderful about being human. This has always seemed wrong to me. It just gets more and more exciting as we learn more, and appreciate more, just how amazing living things are. —Christine

January 22nd, 2008 | Category: Ethics, Memetics, Nano, Nanotech, Nanotechnology, Opinion, Science Fiction

1 comment to Nanotechnology: a way of understanding ourselves

  • Nagarajan
    February 5th, 2008 at 10:51 PM

    nanotechnology, i think will be the key to unlock the secrets at atomic level since there is a long way to go in our universe!it will be a door towards the never ending journey outside our planet! of course i comply that it helps us to understand ourself and our outside world in a new perspective!