Weighing The Dangers Of New Technologies With The Benefits
from the scare-mongering-or-reasonable-caution? dept
There are often times when it seems like we're headed for a real backlash against new technologies that can certainly make the world a better place. A big part of the issue is often that the very same technology has the potential to have quite nasty downsides as well. The NY Times has an article looking at how nuclear technology, biotechnology and nanotechnology all seem to have strong potential impacts in either direction. What's interesting is the issue of whether or not those who look to stop these new advancements are simply involved in fear mongering, or reasonable levels of caution. Unfortunately, it's often impossible to know for sure until well down the road -- and that raises serious questions about when progress may be postponed due to too much caution.
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That is possibly one of the most irresponsible stances I have ever heard on the application/experimentation of new scientific principles.
Sometimes it is better to stop and do a "worst case analysis" when evaluating new technologies. Do we know enough to sufficiently contain the results? Is the result worth the associated risk? Do we know enough to apply the results in such a way as not to adversely affect the environment?
Questions such as the ones above need to be asked before experimentation in new areas goes too far. Most universities and research institutions have some type of ethics boards to deal with issues such as this, and these groups need to be bolstered as we explore more and more of the scientific frontier.
I am not saying we shouldn't pursue new science, just do it with our eyes open and stepping carefully.
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But at the same time, at such an early stage in the development of ideas, before any signifant technology has been gained from them. It is pointless in stopping when we just dont know either way and "fear mongering" used insted of actual scientific knowledge.
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There are currently drugs that have been removed from the marketplace because they tend to kill 3 or 4 percent of the people that take it, yet, it prevents a indication that kills over 500,000 people a year.
This is not an easy slam dunk bumpersticker issue.
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Caution
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If it has good purposes, then do it.
You cannot give up using a technology simply because it has bad uses, otherwise we'd never advance the human race.
The research used to make Nuclear energy/bombs could very well lead to the next enery break through, the next medical break through, etc.
By not using a technology for it's good purposes because it contains bad purposes as well is just supressing flaws that the humans have. Maybe if we have to suffer through these flaws (and their bad use of technology) the next generation will come out to a better people than the generation before it.
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Weighing The Dangers Of New Technologies
It is often so hard to find existing facts documenting actual threat events because these are often hidden by those companies that have experienced the attack. I can find statistics which can guide me in selecting a safer automobile, neighborhood or baby car seat from the insurance companies, but try to find real statistics regarding the security risk of technologies tied to the internet appication is often a guess at best. Sure, I can sometime find a proof-of-concept attack on an application, but figuring out how often that attack actually occurs in a given time period is nearly impossible to calculate given the fact that nobody wants to end up as the top news story in today's news.
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Technophobia our biggest enemy
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Email:
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