From: Brian D Williams (talon57@well.com)
Date: Sun Jun 18 2000 - 06:57:38 MDT
From: "Zero Powers" <zero_powers@hotmail.com>
>Maybe I wasn't clear. I'm looking at this question from a long
>view perspective. I don't think we'll invent nanotech on Monday
>and all the world's strategic, social, economic and political
>problems will be magically solved by Tuesday. But if you believe
>nanotech is possible, it follows that eventually everything will
>get exponentially cheaper, and will continue to do so until
>virtually everything (save perhaps terrestrial real estate)
>becomes free.
You mean "transparent" don't you.
I understand nanotech, I have all the books, and have actually read
them. I do believe it will make incredible things possible.
Exponentially cheaper? Maybe... Free? No.....
>Your scenario of one person, corporation, government or group of
>governments forever hogging the benefits of nanotech to themselves
>is pretty unrealistic. Once someone, *anyone*, has proven that
>practical control of nanotech is possible, *everyone* will devote
>every available resource to duplicating it. It will, after all,
>be *the* best investment any corporation or government can make,
>if the originator isn't sharing the wealth.
I can easily imagine those in power deciding that for there own
good, the general public should not have general nanotech. I can
easily imagine posession of general nanotech being a capital
offence. I can easily imagine the Rosie O'Donnels of the world
marching in support of that proposition.
Some people in this country lose their minds over the idea of
handguns, and you think there going to let the public have access
to general nanotech?
Yes I believe general nanotech when created will possibly for
centurys remain in the hands of a few.
>As to whether there will be sufficient raw materials, if you have
>the power to manipulate matter at the atomic level *everything*
>becomes a raw material.
If I remember correctly, Bucky Fuller designed the geodesic dome
after a global inventory convinced him there was insufficient
material in the world to build everyone an american style house.
What if everyone decided they had to have a dozen Taj Mahalls?
But the question is moot, because there is no way the powers that
be will allow such tech in the hands of the many.
Brian
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