Life, actually

An excellent review/commentary by Ian Bell in the Sunday Herald: Upgrading The Human Condition

That, indeed, may be at the heart of technofear: we suspect it’s not science that’s defective, as such, but us. The Prince of Wales, that noted expert, has recently written to the press to voice his fears about nanotechnology, the use of molecule-sized parts to create tiny devices. Thus far it has been used for sun screens and stain-proof trousers. Charles is afraid that the science could, yes, run amok, with miniscule robots reproducing themselves and proceeding to turn the world into “grey goo”.

Many might suspect that the only grey goo we have to worry about is between the ears of HRH, but scientists fear that the prince could do to them what he did to the reputation of contemporary architecture. Charles, clearly, can have no way of knowing what he is talking about, but the fear he expresses is common: do any of us really know what we are doing when we follow where science leads?

No, actually. It’s called life, and it’s a gamble. At least, that’s what the killer robots told me to say. More here

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