National Nanotechnology 'Disarmament' Initiative

A source tells me that a National Nanotechnology Initiative official tried, unsuccessfully, to uninvite Eric Drexler from a conference at the University of South Carolina on "Imaging and Imagining Nanotechnology." No matter what your position on Drexler and his vision of molecular nanotechnology, you have admit that he's certainly an expert on the conference topic.

However, this report quotes Drexler "grossly out of context," the "Engines of Creation" author told me. So, Drexler gave me a quote in context and asked that if I use it, I leave it in its entirety. Here it is:

Molecular manufacturing will bring a revolution in military affairs greater than the transition from hand-made spears to mass-produced guns. It is unwise to be on the wrong side of such a technology gap. NNI policy today opposes not only research on molecular manufacturing, but open dialog on its scientific basis and potential consequences. Given its current military superiority, terrorists cannot disarm, conquer, or destroy the United States. However, in a competitive world, the denialist policies of the NNI place us on a path to unilateral disarmament. Continuation of those policies thus poses a grave threat.

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