CAREER: Ethics and Belief Inside the Development of Nanotechnologies

职业：纳米技术发展中的道德和信仰

• 批准号: 0134839
• 负责人: Rosalyn Berne
• 金额: $ 39.97万
• 依托单位: University of Virginia Main Campus
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2002
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2002-06-01 至 2007-11-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0134839&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: CAREER; Ethics; Belief; Inside; Development

Theoretically, molecular nanotechnology will mean the ability to build things from the atom up, to rearrange matter with precision, and to control its very structure. Nanotechnology promises enhanced living, and the transcendence of myriad human physical and mental limitations. As self-replicating, super-intelligent machines working within and beyond the human body, molecular nanotechnology is likely to radically alter not just the physical, but the social, psychological, and spiritual dimensions of human life. Therefore, now is the time, in the theoretical stages of development, to begin to explore the ethical implications of molecular nanotechnology.This investigator seeks to understand the developing ethics of nanotechnology through a narrative analysis of discourse inside of its development. The focus is on engineers and scientists who are working in the field to answer the questions: What do scientists and engineers define as the ethical issues connected to the development of nanotechnology? How, if at all, do scientists and engineers imagine confronting or addressing those ethical issues as they are defined? In what ways might religious perspectives and personal beliefs be a factor in the ethical framework of developing nanotechnology?The data are drawn from an array of discourses, oral and written, in order to richly understand the ethics and beliefs of the developers of nanotechnology, thus revealing its largely tacit, newly forming moral/ethical frameworks. A textbook on nanotechnology ethics, and eventually, educational film on the hopes and dreams of nanotechnology investigators, are hoped to be offered as tangible outcomes of this project.

从理论上讲，分子纳米技术将意味着能够从原子开始构建东西，精确地重新排列物质，并控制其结构。纳米技术承诺改善生活，并超越无数人类身体和精神上的限制。作为在人体内外工作的自我复制、超级智能机器，分子纳米技术可能不仅从根本上改变人类生活的身体层面，而且还改变人类生活的社会、心理和精神层面。因此，现在是时候了，在理论发展的阶段，开始探索分子纳米技术的伦理含义。本文试图通过对纳米技术发展中的话语进行叙事分析来理解纳米技术的发展伦理。重点是在该领域工作的工程师和科学家来回答以下问题：科学家和工程师如何定义与纳米技术发展有关的伦理问题？如果有的话，科学家和工程师会如何设想如何面对或解决那些被定义为道德问题的问题？宗教观点和个人信仰可能以何种方式成为发展纳米技术的伦理框架中的一个因素？这些数据取自一系列口头和书面的话语，以丰富地了解纳米技术开发者的伦理和信仰，从而揭示其基本上默契的、新形成的道德/伦理框架。一本关于纳米技术伦理的教科书，以及最终关于纳米技术研究人员的希望和梦想的教育电影，有望作为该项目的具体成果而提供。