What Convergence is in the Cards for
Future Scientists[1]?
By Dr. Gregor Wolbring
for the conference Converging Science and Technologies:
Research Trajectories and Institutional Settings 14-15 May 2007;
In 2001 a workshop (from now on called NBIC workshop) organized by the USA National Science Foundation (NSF) and the USA Department of Commerce (DoC) (I was a member of that workshop) called CT for Improving Human Performance NANOTECHNOLOGY, BIOTECHNOLOGY, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND COGNITIVE SCIENCE (NBIC) took place where the term NBIC was coined. This event seems to have triggered an increased academic, policy and public discourse around the term “CT” in particular and the nature and components of convergence in general.
On the one hand some might find it strange that a conference on “CT” takes place. The concept of convergence is nothing new. We have talked for a long time about transdisciplinarity, multidisciplinarity, interdisciplinarity asking for the convergence of different skills within a team, an individual, a project or a goal. Ancient Greeks used the terms techné, τέχνη[3] one of the two Greek root words which make up the term ‘technology’ to characterize a convergence of certain disciplines, skills and knowledge .
On the other hand this conference might raise the visibility of the importance of different needed convergences not just the convergences of NBIC technologies and to highlight some new convergence concepts. I highlight in this paper a) the deficiency of the NBIC convergence concept, b) different ways of convergence and c) introduce Ableism as a concept under which different ism’s converge.
My presentations will deal a) with the deficiency of the NBIC convergence concept, b) different ways of convergence scientist, policymaker, funders and numerous social groups have to exhibit, will c) introduce Ableism as a concept under which different ism’s converge and d) show how different types of convergences relate to the human performance enhancement goals and to my biochemistry work which is on thalidomide (contergan, softenon) and derivatives.
(I need to be as internally convergent in my work around governance of science and technology which I will not cover further as that is self evident.)
To get some idea for the land I performed some keyword combination
searches (table 1 appendix). Some of the findings are
1)
A
hierarchy exists among social groups covered/involved in the CT discourse
2)
biological
sciences gains 100 fold less hits than biotech related to converging technology
although a lot of convergence related to biological sciences and not just
biotechnology
3)
One
might think that the hits for the term
information technology are artificially high stemming from other IT
convergences however even with the inclusion of nanotechnology the ratio and
numbers between NBIC and converging technology does not change a lot.
4)
Patients
and animals get more hits than “the south”, ”the poor”, disabled people, people
with disabilities and indigenous people
5)
The
term transhumanist obtains 5-10 fold more hits than disabled people, people
with disabilities and indigenous people
6)
Artificial
Intelligence gains 20 times more hits
than indigenous people and 10 times more hits than people with disabilities
7)
Beside
environmentalism Isms are mostly non existent in the CT discourse
8)
GDP
obtains 10 times more hits than distributive justice and more or less equal hits
than human right in Google Scholar however human right has 10 times more hits
than GDP in Google while distributive justice has 10 times less hits than GDP
9)
We
see a hierarchy as to which academic fields obtains how many hits with ‘CT’
with medicine, law and economics obtaining as many hits as NBIC and with disability
studies, ability studies, environmental studies, cultural studies, women
studies obtaining only 1% to 0%.
10) The term military has double the hits than
peace in Google and 5 times more hits in Google scholar
11) Productivity, enhancements, health,
water, food, disease have 100 fold more hits than environmental safety, human
security, food security and social cohesion.
The NBIC workshop
intentionally narrow focus on improving human performances and on the nanoscale
interaction of NBIC(1) was perceived by many as to limited. The
Azonano webpage[4]
identifies three different takes on CT namely the USA NBIC viewpoint, a
European CT for the European Knowledge Society CTEKS
viewpoint (2) and an NGO BANG (bits, atoms, neurons
and genes) viewpoint(3). In
The NBIC workshop focus
on NBIC as the CT does not serve very well the continuous changes in science
and technology. Instead of using NBIC it would have been better to use the term
Nanoscale sciences and technologies if one wants to stay with the theme of
nanoscale which the NBIC label is based on and then list a variety of subfields
under that heading. That would have been more logical as
a) any one nanoscale
science and technology can generates products all by itself
b) there are more
nanoscale sciences and technologies than BIC such as engineering, environmental
sciences, chemistry
c) new sciences and
technologies are appearing which work on the nanoscale. Example here is
synthetic biology a field which was not on the radar screen in 2001.
d) in the public
discourse people see NBIC as four sciences and technologies converging
forgetting that the nanoscale is the prerequisite defining this
convergence.
Instead of
Converging technologies one could use the term Nano-convergence
NBIC is not only too
limited to cover the breadth of today’s and future nanoscale sciences and
technologies, NBIC is also too limited to capture the breadth of sciences and technologies involved in human
performance enhancement.
Chemistry and
material sciences are just two that work on the nanoscale and which are
involved in human performance enhancement New sciences are appearing which work
on the nanoscale and which are linked to human performance enhancement. Synthetic biology (4) that was not on the radar screen in 2001 is
one example (the linkage of synthetic biology with artificial life was one of
the focuses of discussion at the 10th Artificial Life
X Conference). Another examples is the field of Longevity,
Immortality Technology(5).
Longevity, immortality technology anti aging research gains more and
more international traction e.g.
Beside the intrinsic conceptual flaw of the
usage of NBIC even for the limited purpose of human performance enhancement, the
goal of the NBIC workshop does not serve the discourses around human security(6), social cohesion(7), global medical and social health(8) and the social well being of the global
population very well.
Other goals and convergences are needed to take
advantage of the possibilities opened up by future sciences and technologies.
Nanoscale sciences will influence and be
influence by other goals within and outside of the umbrella of performance
enhancement. Many nanoscale technologies and sciences increase and/or change
performances without changing humans but have impact on humans.
The Centre for Responsible
Nanotechnology sees molecular
manufacturing (MM) the ability to build products atom by atom to become a
reality by 2020 and they forecast a variety of social consequences.(9)
Cientifica an
influential consulting firm on nanotechnology issues believes that molecular manufacturing might
be used for food after 2012 “Unlike a few of the
other reports we have seen on nanotech and food, and as regular readers would
expect, we don't see desktop nanofactories churning out unlimited free food
before 2012. “(10)
Moving from nature-based commodities (i.e., copper, rubber)
towards nano-formulated commodities, towards atomic commodities (molecular
manufacturing) must have an impact on the demand and export capabilities for nature-based
commodities, especially, from low income countries as it will change the
commodity market and, in the end, the nature of trade.(11)
market.
Arguments are
developed in support of especially cognitive enhancements of animals(13). These enhancements will happen on the
nanoscale and if successful will lead to the increased questioning of
speciesism, what it means to be human and whether that is still relevant. It
will lead to an increased discussion around the concepts of human rights versus
sentience rights. The same set of questions will arise from advances in
artificial intelligence.
As a scientist, NGO,
policy maker and public at large one has to be aware of these developments not
just of human performance enhancement.
In some
way it’s a shame that the Convention for Biological Diversity (CBD) (14) does not include human biological diversity[8] missing
the boat on the impact -ability and otherwise- of new and emerging technologies
on human diversity and that it gives
little to no guidance as to the practice of generating biological diversity
through the modification, enhancement and design of new life. This leaves the
door wide open for others to develop policies around biological diversity [9]not
covered by the CBD which in turn will impact on the goals of the CBD (e.g. if
we can design and generate new biological diversities why should we conserve
naturally existing biodiversities).
Natural sciences and
technologies often converge with other sciences and academic fields which the
European CTEK report(2) highlights very nicely. Other examples are
the understanding of CT by
Example from the Enhancement front:
Enhancements are not
just an issue for technical or natural science. As they are aimed at members of
society and as they have social implications there is a need to involve the
widest area of science and academia and non academics (dealt with below).
My biochemistry work:
My work on
thalidomide and derivatives and their mechanism of action is as much driven by
my natural science side as it’s driven by my social science and activist side.
Finding new applications for thalidomide and it’s derivatives and finding ways
to eventually replace thalidomide with non-teratogenic derivatives is for me
not just a natural science exercise but has societal implications from how to
monitor the distribution of the drug (that’s why the Thalidomide Victims
Association of Canada and I were involved in the development of a monitoring
system for thalidomide in the USA before the drug came on the market). This includes finding a way to
ensure a wide as possible access for people who need the drug to looking at the
causes of the diseases thalidomide and derivatives target to see whether social
determinant actions can be employed to minimize the generation of people with
the diseases.
The NBIC report
talks about the involvement of other people beside NBIC scientists namely
a) Individuals
b) Academe
c) Private Sector
d) Government
e) Professional Societies
f) Other Organizations which includes non-governmental
organizations that represent potential user groups, private research
foundations and the press (1)
However the list of
people and groups envisioned by the NBIC report is far from complete and
substantial changes are needed. If one
looks at the NBIC discourse in general one can see that certain stakeholders
are excluded (disabled people, indigenous people, marginalized populations of
the South) One of the consequences of the limited variation in stakeholders is
that the NBIC discourse in many if not most countries and the risk and needs
assessment discourses discourse myopically cover mostly medical and
environmental health safety excluding social safety, human security safety,
social cohesion problems, social well-being impact and related issues.
Example from the Enhancement front:
As enhancements are
targeting humans and in the end other living biological matter one needs the
involvement of many social groups -in particular disabled people and indigenous
people- and the myopic exclusion of social safety has to change. Different
social groups react differently towards enhancement possibilities within
different societal frameworks. As a researcher I have to be aware of different
streams of thought.
My work:
When I work on
thalidomide and the derivatives I have to be aware of different social groups
and the impact my work has on them. The increased usage of thalidomide in
numerous countries and how fast thalidomide can be replaced by non teratogenic
derivatives impacts on many social groups. Thalidomide has different impacts on
different social groups whereby patient groups served by the drug want access
and thalidomiders feel rather negative about the drug which is not surprising
as society has treated most thalidomiders as defective products throughout
their life.
Biofuel from biomass
is seen as a renewable alternative to oil. But which technologies will be used
to create biofuel? A recent forest
industry roadmap
links nanoforestry to biofuel(15). While genetic technology and biofuel are
linked in the public consciousness, nanotechnology and biofuel are not as
aren’t synthetic
biology and biofuel.(15)
One must consider
many different science and technology options, their possible convergence, and
their social and environmental impacts. All participants in the discourse --
scientists, policy makers, funders, NGOs, and others -- must be more
multifaceted in their analysis. Foresight exercises are needed to see what
technologies and challenges may be on the horizon. The discourse on biofuel,
for example, needs to answer three questions: (1) should we use it? (2) what
technology or mixture of technologies should we use to produce it, if any? and
(3) what social and environmental challenges does this pose?
We use a product like
a drug Step 1) for a disease which is then used for a Step 2) non disease
purpose which then Step 3 leads to a convergence under the social dynamic of
medicalization which makes a disease out of the original non disease
application(8)
Example from the Enhancement front:
We develop the
artificial hippocampus(16) and brain machine interfaces(17). They are developed under the cloak of
wanting to help as impaired perceived people; people with Alzheimer in the
first case and people with cerebral palsy in the second case. However, very
likely both applications if successful will be used for different purposes and
might mostly not be used by and for people with Alzheimer and cerebral palsy
due to their inability to pay for it and the unwillingness of society to pay
for it.
My work:
Thalidomide and its
derivatives although initially used for one application are already used for different
applications. Thalidomide was originally developed as an antibiotic (something
it never became) but was used after that for one application after another
(more than 100 applications can be found on the Thalidomide Victims Association
of Canada webpage[12]).
The terms
glocalization highlights the increasing relationship between local and global.
Huge amount of literature exist on this topic so I won’t expand on it. I
mentioned trade before under molecular manufacturing.
Example from the Enhancement front:
Performance
enhancement of human beings will have global and local impacts on among others human
security(6), self identity security(6;8;18)) and ability security(6) of people who can’t afford or do not want the
enhancement.
My work:
When I work on
thalidomide and the derivatives I have to think about local and global issues.
Thalidomide started in
The health sciences
and technology usage and assessment is a perfect example of the different
convergences needed beside NBIC. I wrote extensively on that topic(8).
Although the terms
Nanomedicine or NBIC-medicine are often used many more nanoscale sciences and
technologies are involved in medicine and health sciences and
technologies.
A Convergence of
natural, social and other academic fields and numerous academic and non
academic people are needed to understand the complex challenges in health
sciences and technology usage and assessment and their interrelation. New
sciences and technologies impact on the concept of health and vice versa. These
two impact on the consumerism behaviour of the ‘health care client’ (see e.g.
the medicalization phenomenon) and vice versa. These three impact on the
concept of ableism (see below) which in turn impacts on the term health (the
health care discourse are unaware of the appearance of a transhumanist third
wave model of health(8;19) which will greatly impact their work) and
health care consumerism’. So far no tool exist which would allow to assess
whether a ‘medical or social intervention is more efficient and effective(8) and indeed health technology assessment,
i.e. compares different health technologies but does not compare a social
intervention with a health technology intervention.(8). The focus is often on the medical techno
intervention (for which one can come up with numbers easily) while social
interventions especially for the social well being part of health are often
ignored.(8;20-22) We hear a lot about the top 10
biotechnologies for improving health in developing countries(23), top 10 nanotechnologies for developing
countries (24) and Regenerative medicine: new opportunities
for developing countries(25;26). However we do not hear about the top 10
social frameworks and societal structures needed to make these science and
technologies useful. It is disconcerting
that science and technology is hailed so often as a saviour for marginalized
populations especially in developing countries without mentioning and ensuring
that the needed societal frameworks are in place. The WHO and others are
embarking on a quest to solve the problem of neglected diseases.(20;22) However the approaches so far only focus on
the increase usage of medical science and technology as remedies ignoring the
societal framework needed and ignoring social solutions to the problem.(20;22)
The field of
education -- in particular high school education is increasingly impacted by
the ever-increasing speed of change in the science and technology fields,
products, and knowledge in three fairly different ways namely deliverance of
education, content of education and the modification of the student.(27) Teaching the complex interdependent fabric
of perceptions, values, and choices within different cultural, economic, ethical,
spiritual, religious and moral frameworks and their impact on new and emerging
technologies and vice versa in a way that is accessible to high school students
and timely is indeed a great challenge and I think is less and less met. I believe
that as a scientist one has the obligation to engage with youth in particular
high school youth and one has to be able to convey the bigger picture.
Example from the Enhancement front:
It is not enough to
teach the technique of genetic testing or performance enhancement without
teaching the social, local and global consequences.
My work:
When I talk about
thalidomide and the derivatives I do not talk just about the science but also
about the social parameters such as how society dealt with thalidomiders and
what one can learn from that. I talk about the medical and social determinants
of targeted diseases the local and global picture of the targeted disease and
the availability of drugs. I deal with the area of neglected diseases and
disease trading and disease intervention trading (20;22).
All the above is
very self evident and is mostly known. So I would like to introduce something
of which most may not yet have heard namely a new type of convergence: ableism.
The concept of a culture of peace is central to UNESCO and the UN as shown by a 1998 UN resolution (A/Res/52/13, 15 January 1998, para. 2 ), the UNESCO Culture of Peace webpage, the Ten Bases For A Culture of Peace and the UNESCO's Pledge for peace. An April 2007 report “A STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK FOR THE FUTURE OF THE SCIENCES IN UNESCO”(28) talks about the reorientation of UNESCO’s science programs to enable them to contribute more towards poverty reduction, peace, better living standards especially for traditionally excluded segments of the population, empowerment of people, dialogue and integration of mainstream science with traditional, local and indigenous sciences of diverse cultures, sustainability and distributive justice.
How will the language in culture of peace documents and the report be interpreted with the intervention made possible by new and emerging technologies? How will the language be used in regards to the enhancement of animals(12) which might redefine the relationship between humans and animals; immortality and longevity research which could lead to intergenerational strive; molecular manufacturing -the production of material from the atom level- which could lead to a total collapse of the trade system as we know it today and the new products that can modify the appearance and functioning of the human body beyond existing species-typical norms and boundaries which will lead to self identity (6) and ability security (6) problems.
Will the report and the culture of peace language move people to intervene in the nanoscale science and technology arms and military products race (29)? So far policies around new and emerging technologies have failed to accomplish a culture of peace, poverty reduction, sustainable development and the dialogue among civilizations. Why is that?
I think ableism is at the root or at least a major contributing factor to why we do not make much progress in these domains. Many isms are supported by ableism and one has to deal with ableism if one wants to accomplish among others a culture of peace, poverty reduction a better situation of low income countries, equity and equality for women and other marginalized groups, sustainable development and a dialogue among civilizations.
Ableism is a set of beliefs, processes and practices that
produce -based on ones abilities- a particular kind of understanding of
oneself, one’s body and one’s relationship with others of one’s species, other
species and one’s environment and includes one being judged by others. Ableism
exhibits a favouritism for certain
abilities that are projected as essential while at the same time labelling real
or perceived deviations from or lack of these ‘essential’ abilities as a
diminished state of being leading or
contributing to the justification of a variety of other isms(30-32)
Every ism has two components: something we cherish and something we do not. The first, second or both parts may be emphasized.
Ableism reflects the sentiment of certain social groups and social structures to cherish and promote certain abilities such as productivity and competitiveness over others such as empathy, compassion or kindness (favouritism of abilities). (30-32) Ableism and favouritism of certain abilities is rampant today and throughout history. Ableism shaped and continues to shape areas such as human security(6), social cohesion(7), social policies, relationships among social groups and between individuals and countries and between humans and non-humans and humans and their environment. (30) Ableism is one of the most societal entrenched and accepted isms and one of the biggest enabler for other isms (e.g. nationalism, speciesism, sexism, racism, anti-environmentalism, consumerism, GDP-ism, superiority-ism….). Ableism related to productivity and economic competitiveness is the basis upon which many societies are judged, and it is often seen as a prerequisite for progress.
The direction and governance of science and technology and different forms of ableism have always been inter-related.
Ableism will become more prevalent and severe with the anticipated ability of new and emerging sciences and technologies:
We can already observe a changing perception of ourselves, our body, and our relationships with others of our species, other species and our environment. New forms of ableism (transhumanization of ableism) (30;32) are now appearing which are often presented as a solution to the consequences of other ableism based isms such as speciesism(2) and anti-environmentalism.
Just a few examples of Ableism
This form of ableism reflects the obsession with species typical normative abilities leading to the discrimination against the as ‘less able’’ as impaired perceived disabled people.
This type of ableism is supported by the medical, deficiency impairment categorization of disabled people (medical model) (8;33) and this form of ableism rejects the ‘variation of being’, biodiversity notion/categorization of disabled people (social model). This form of ableism leads to the focus of fixing the person (medical model/medical determinant) or preventing more of such people (medical model/social determinants) and ignores mostly the acceptance and accommodation of people in their variation of being (social model/social determinant) (8)
Ableism has also long been used to justify hierarchies of
rights and discrimination between social groups, and the exclusion of people
who are not classified as ‘disabled persons’. To give a few examples.
Sexism
Sexism has two components. One cherishes a certain sex (usually male) and discriminates against another one (usually female). At the end of the 19th Century women were viewed as biologically fragile and emotional, and thus incapable of bearing the responsibility of voting, owning property, and retaining custody of their own children (34;35). Ableism and the favouritism towards certain abilities was and still is used to justify sexism in general and the dominance of males over females in particular.
Racism/Ethnicism
Racism/Ethnicism has two components.
One favours one race or ethnic group, and discriminates against another. The Bell Curve(36) used the societal
inclination of many to judge human beings based on their ‘cognitive abilities’
(their IQ), promoting racism by claiming that certain ethnic groups are
less cognitively able than others. Without the ableist judgement related to
cognitive abilities, the authors would have received no coverage. If they had
written about ethnic differences in hair color, or differences in average
height, their position would have had much less impact. Society does not
judge people nowadays based on their hair color and average height, therefore
differences in hair color or average height can’t be used today for racist
arguments. People are
judged based on differences in cognitive abilities, however, making this a
useful target for justifying racist arguments.
Caste-ism
Caste-ism has two components the favouritism for one caste and the discrimination against another.
In an opinion
piece The U.N., Racism and Caste – II Opinion: The Hindu 10 April 2001 by Gail
Omvedt one reads “Neither caste as a social system nor ``racism'' are based on
actual biological differences among human beings. Both, though, are systems of
discrimination that attribute ``natural'' or essential qualities to people born
in specific social groups. In other words, while caste has nothing to do with
``race'', the justifications of caste discrimination have a lot to do with the
social phenomenon of ``racism'' and it continues; “For caste, like race, is
based on the notion that socially defined groups of people have inherent,
natural qualities or ``essences'' that assign them to social positions, make
them fit for specific duties and occupations;”[13].
The natural
inherent qualities are ‘abilities’ which make them fit for specific duties and
occupations.
Ageism
Age-ism reflects the negative labelling and treatment of the elderly. This treatment is a consequence of young-ism which is the favouritism towards the abilities of the young (athleticism vs. wisdom for example).
The transhumanized form of ableism is a set of beliefs,
processes and practices that perceive the improvement of functioning of
biological structures beyond typical boundaries as essential.
The transhumanized version of ableism exhibits the
favouritism of beyond biological structure typical abilities and perceived
biological structures as deficient as being, in need of constant improvement, in
a diminished state of being if they are not enhanced beyond biological structure
typical abilities
Until now a non- impaired person has been seen as someone
whose body functioning performs within Homo sapiens typical parameters. This is changing, however. The ability of new
and emerging science and technology products to modify the appearance of the human
body and its functioning beyond existing normative species-typical boundaries allows for a redefinition of what it
means to be non-impaired (8).
One transhumanized form of ableism is the set of beliefs, processes and practices that perceive the ‘improvement’ of human body abilities beyond typical Homo sapiens boundaries as essential. It exhibits the favouritism of beyond Homo sapiens typical abilities and perceived human bodies as limited, defective, in need of constant improvement, as being in a diminished state of being human if they are not enhanced beyond Homo sapiens typical abilities.
There are three kinds of transhumanization of body ability enhancements:
(a) external
-- by shaping the environment (transhumanized social determinants); (b) internal reversal -- by modifying
bodily structures in a reversible fashion (transhumanized medical determinant);
and (c) internal non-reversal
-- by modifying bodily structures in a non-reversible fashion (transhumanized
medical determinant). All of these interventions are viewed as therapeutic
(transhumanization of medicalization)(8).
Humans have modified their environment for a long time, in order to gain abilities that are not inherent in their body. This ‘ability’ to change the environment (transhuman social determinants) is viewed as the basis for the success of -- and essential for -- the Homo sapiens species (transhumanization of ableism).
However this is no longer seen as sufficient. In tune with the belief that the human body is deficient (transhuman medical model) -- which previously led to the design of external tools to extend the abilities of Homo sapiens (transhuman social determinants) -- we are moving increasingly towards changing the body itself to expand its abilities beyond those that are typical for Homo sapiens (transhuman medical determinant).
Internal transhuman interventions are consistent with the trend towards medicalization of the human body -- where variations in its structure and functioning are now more often labelled as deviations and diseases -- with the result that ‘healthy’ people feel ‘unhealthy,’ and bad about their bodily structure and functioning’ (8). The transhumanized version of ableism elevates the medicalization dynamic to its ultimate endpoint, namely, to see the enhancement beyond species-typical body structures and functioning as a therapeutic intervention (transhumanization of medicalization) (8).
Enhancement medicine is the new field providing the remedy and maintenance through surgery, pharmaceuticals, implants and other intervention on the level of the body. Science and technology is seen as having the potential to free everyone from the "confinement of their genes" (genomic freedom) and the "confinement of their biological bodies" (morphological freedom) through transhumanized internal medical determinant interventions. Transhumanized social determinant external interventions are not seen as enough anymore (8;38).
The rejection of the transhumanized version of ableism
Speciesism assigns different values and rights to beings on the basis of their species. Humans are seen as superior over other species due to their exhibition of ‘superior cognitive abilities’. This speciesism led to behaviours where humans dealt and deal with other species according to “we can do it so we do it”.
Another transhumanized version of ableism is the set of beliefs, processes and practices which champions the especially cognitive enhancement of animal species beyond species typical boundaries, leading to cognitively or otherwise ‘enabled species.’ This is seen as a way to alter the relationship between humans and other species, and to change how non-human species are judged and treated.
This is often the approach. Instead of questioning the tenets of ableism, one tries to find ways for a disadvantaged group to become as able. “I can be as able as you are, I am as able as you are” can be heard quite often, and is used here as a solution for the maltreatment of some animals.
This version of ableism favors cognitive abilities. There are other examples.
Besides racism and speciesism, favouritism towards cognitive abilities plays out in the developmental stages of humans whereby humans prior to birth and for a certain period afterwards are seen as not having full human rights due to their lack of certain abilities. Lack of certain cognitive abilities is also used as an argument to deny some rights to ‘cognitively impaired humans.’
This same logic is also evident with respect to artificial intelligence, which may ultimately gain equal status to humans when it is seen as cognitively able enough. Human rights might then become an obsolete concept as once rights might not be based anymore on the fact that one is human but that one has a certain level of cognitive abilities (sentient rights). If it is eventually possible to separate cognitive abilities and consciousness from the human biological body, the resulting entity would gain rights by itself -- independent of the body.
The disregard
for nature most humans show reflects another form of ableism: humans are here
to use nature as they see fit as they are superior to nature due to their
abilities. Humans might treat nature better if we can’t treat it badly anymore
due to the ensuing negative consequences for humans. The second report in 2007
by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released April 6 predicts the
‘highway to extinction’.[14] A third report outlining
potential solutions will be released on May 4.
However we might see the appearance of a climate
change-driven appeal for a transhumanized version of ableism, where
transhumanization of humans is seen as a solution for coping with climate
change. This could become especially popular if we reach a so-called ‘point of
no return,’ where severe climate change consequences can no longer be
prevented.
There are
different ways to measure the growth of a society. For the longest time GDP based growth has
been favoured while people based growth, people centered and sustainable
development, social well being and life satisfaction of people are still neglected. The NBIC report goal of human performance
increase is linked to increased productivity and GDP-ism.
GDP is used by economists to judge the ‘positive’ advances of an economy but it can’t be used to judge living standards, social development, social well-being and the level of satisfaction of people in a society have with their lives. It does not show the gaps between haves and have-nots.
The inclination towards a GDP-based measure is slowly
changing. While we still measure the success of countries based on yearly GDP,
we are also seeing greater use of social indicators to measure the social
well-being of citizens. A recent (September 2006) Deutsche Bank research paper
highlights nicely why measuring GDP is not enough, and identifies
measures that can be used to characterize well-being[15].
The dimensions of well-being include income, education,
health, the role of women, environment, social peace, diversity and welfare[16].
The Deutsche Bank research paper refers to the United Nations’ annual Human
Development Index (HDI), the Weighted Index of Social Progress (WISP), the
Happy Planet Index (HPI), the Genuine Progress Indicator (GPI), the Economic
Living Standard Index (ELSI), and the National Wellbeing Index which is
published by a variety of countries.
According to the research paper, the above measures still do not show how happy people are or how satisfied they are with their lives. It is not surprising that economists predisposed to measuring GDP have different priorities and views of what is needed than people who are focused on social well-being and life satisfaction.
Consumerism is based on the desire to have the ability to
consume. This is often linked in
Superiority-ism -- the obsession with being better than others, with outdoing others, and often with controlling others -- is an entrenched ism within the social framework of how humans treat other humans, other species, and (one could say) even the environment. Superiority-ism uses ableism to justify its claim (I am more able than…therefore…) . The desire to be superior to others often drives ableism.
This is just a small list of isms which are supported by ableism and favouritism of certain abilities all of which are a threat to among others a culture of peace and social development.
I outlined above numerous types of convergences all of which I think academics and others such as policy makers, activists, educators, students of all ages and education forms, NGO’s, intergovernmental organisations, organisations with a global reach, businesses and the public at large have to incorporate.
The education system (formal education non formal education, the difference school forms, lifelong learning…) has to be much more pro-active and convergent in regards to what and how it teaches. It has to highlight much more the interconnectivity of issues and must have a global outlook.
The funding system (academic) has to encourage multidisciplinarity within a person and not just huge groups with different expertise one person per expertise. The funding system of today still promotes silo thinking and territorial turf war.
The funding system has to fund outreach activities by academics and the outreach activities of an academic has to be part of their performance evaluation.
Academic and other journals have to become open access and be online besides in a print version. That means that journals have to find revenues elsewhere such as from the authors which means that funding has to be provided by granting agencies to pay for the cost of getting published.
The funding system (non-academic) has to encourage multidisciplinarity within a person and projects which highlight the interconnectivity of issues and concepts. Many non academic projects are very narrow in focus and do not allow for the bigger picture to emerge. The existing funding system encourages social group hierarchies, silo thinking of topics and the segregation of social groups and topics even if they are related.
Engagements have to change. An increased development of so called Citizen Science might be useful (39;40)
Much more foresight exercises have to be funded. They have to be performed not just by academics and the military but also by NGO’s and others. Disabled people for example are so engulfed in daily struggles that they do not have the capacity -people and money-wise- to learn and influence to-come events such as emerging technologies (39) and the changing philosophies around them(8;39) which again have an impact on their daily struggle(39) and their achievements such as the UN Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities.(41;42)
The too simplistic science-and-technology-is-the-salvation-mantra has to stop and one has to put on equal footing visibility and otherwise the societal frameworks needed in order to make the science and technology useful
There are more issues and many more will be covered by others at this conference. I just want to cover one other area.
Judgment
based on abilities is so ingrained in every culture that its use for
exclusionary or otherwise negative purposes is seldom questioned or even
recognized. In fact, groups who are marginalized due to some form of ableism
often use that very sentiment to demand a change in status (we are as able as
you are; we can be as able as you are with accommodations).
Dealing with ableism
is essential if we want to diminish, reverse, or prevent the conflict that may
result from the disruptive potential of many nanoscale science and technology
products. Without dealing with the tenets of ableism one can not achieve
poverty reduction; peace; better living standards (especially for traditionally
excluded segments of the population); empowerment of people; dialogue among
civilizations; dialogue and integration of mainstream science with traditional,
local and indigenous sciences of diverse cultures; diversity; sustainability; and
distributive justice. Without tackling ableism, no real and durable
sustainable equity and equality for any country, group, or individual will be
achieved. It is time to
see ability not just within the context of disabled people but to look at it
from a broader cultural perspective.
I propose the new field
of Ability Studies (30)(31) under which a variety of issues and groups
could converge -- a discipline where the preceding challenges could be studied.
Ability Studies
investigates: (a) the social, cultural, legal, political, ethical and other
considerations by which any given ability may be judged, and which leads to
favouring one ability over another; (b) the impact and consequence of favouring
certain abilities and rejecting others; (c) the consequences of ableism in its
different forms, and its relationship with and impact on other isms; (d) the
impact of new and emerging technologies on ableism and consequent favouritism
towards certain abilities and rejection of others; and (e) identification of
the abilities that would lead to the most beneficial scenario for the maximum
number of people in the world.
Ability Studies includes
among others:
and looks at areas such
as:
It is acknowledged that the results in Google scholar due to its selection of journals might lead to some bias however so is any one academic journal database as they are focussing on one academic sector/cluster or another. However I believe one can still get a rough idea for certain trends.
Google and Google scholar were accessed March 30 2007
Table 1
|
Keyword |
Google Scholar |
|
|
“CT” |
1800 |
250,000 |
|
Academic Fields |
||
|
+ Nanotechnology |
426 |
79,400 |
|
+Biotechnology |
381 |
56,100 |
|
+biological sciences |
55 |
657 |
|
+ cognitive |
482 |
41,700 |
|
+information technology |
701 |
66,600 |
|
“CT” Nanotechnology biotechnology |
381 |
43500 |
|
“CT” Nanotechnology information technology |
329 |
32700 |
|
“CT” Nanotechnology cognitive |
356 |
27700 |
|
“CT” Nanotechnology Media |
218 |
30,500 |
|
“CT” Media |
894 |
108,800 |
|
+neural |
204 |
19,800 |
|
+neuro sciences |
94 |
19,600 |
|
+synthetic biology |
7 |
476 |
|
+molecular manufacturing |
34 |
12,700 |
|
+longevity |
52 |
534 |
|
+immortality |
28 |
532 |
|
+law |
507 |
72,200 |
|
+ social science |
123 |
13,500 |
|
+ disability studies |
6 |
59 |
|
+ ability studies |
0 |
16 |
|
+environmental studies |
14 |
541 |
|
+ medicine |
545 |
66,400 |
|
+economics |
811 |
38,800 |
|
+cultural studies |
41 |
524 |
|
+women studies |
2 |
68 |
|
+humanities |
129 |
15,000 |
|
Applications |
||
|
+health |
579 |
99,600 |
|
+poverty |
129 |
16,900 |
|
+environmental safety |
10 |
209 |
|
+military |
333 |
35,400 |
|
+peace |
91 |
17,600 |
|
+water |
285 |
45,400 |
|
+food |
273 |
56,900 |
|
+ human security |
0 |
108 |
|
+food security |
8 |
443 |
|
+social cohesion |
37 |
697 |
|
+productivity |
347 |
38,300 |
|
+enhancement |
298 |
25,500 |
|
+human enhancement |
46 |
530 |
|
+humanism |
40 |
736 |
|
+Transhumanism |
41 |
1270 |
|
+disease |
264 |
37,800 |
|
+globalization |
262 |
17,800 |
|
+culture of peace |
1 |
26 |
|
Social Groups |
||
|
+ women |
251 |
44,400 |
|
|
|
|
|
+ “the south” |
91 |
13,700 |
|
|
|
|
|
+”the poor” |
97 |
12,400 |
|
+ disabled people |
39 |
459 |
|
+ people with disabilities |
28 |
655 |
|
+indigenous people |
12 |
239 |
|
+patient |
164 |
26,600 |
|
+animal |
215 |
29,200 |
|
+artificial intelligence |
201 |
24,200 |
|
+transhumanist |
41 |
1030 |
|
Youth |
106 |
25000 |
|
Ism’s |
||
|
+Ableism |
1 |
19 |
|
+Sexism |
17 |
201 |
|
+Racism |
48 |
528 |
|
+Ageism |
3 |
32 |
|
+Casteism |
0 |
4 |
|
+Ethnicism |
0 |
0 |
|
+speciesism |
1 |
20 |
|
+environmentalism |
1160 |
324 |
|
Some concepts |
||
|
+biological diversity |
8 |
378 |
|
+cultural diversity |
53 |
608 |
|
+equality |
168(most seem to relate to money equity) |
12,300 |
|
+equity |
98 |
23,700 |
|
+human rights” |
82 |
16,500 |
|
+animal rights |
6 |
452 |
|
+distributive justice |
6 |
146 |
|
+GDP |
88 |
954 |
|
Gross domestic product |
20 |
341 |
Similar results ratio wise if not absolute number wise are obtained if one searches academic publication databases Academic Search Premier [18] Cambridge Scientific Databases [19] and Ovid Scientific Databases[20]
References
1. M.Roco, W. B. e. Converging Technologies for Improving Human Performance: Nanotechnology, Biotechnology, Information Technology and Cognitive Science. 2003. http://www.wtec.org/ConvergingTechnologies/Report/NBIC_report.pdf. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht Hardbound.
2. Alfred Nordmann. Nano-Bio-Info-Cogno-Socio-Anthro-Philo- HLEG Foresighting the New Technology Wave Converging Technologies " Shaping the Future of European Societies, 2004, http://europa.eu.int/comm/research/conferences/2004/ntw/index_en.html, http://europa.eu.int/comm/research/conferences/2004/ntw/pdf/final_report_en.pdf,
3. ETC Group. The Big Down , 2003, 47, http://www.etcgroup.org/documents/TheBigDown.pdf,
4. Wolbring, G, Synthetic Biology 2.0, http://www.innovationwatch.com/choiceisyours/choiceisyours.2006.05.30.htm, 2006.,The Choice is Yours Column at Innovationwatch.com
5. Immortality
Institute (2004). The Scientific Conquest of Death LibrosEnRed, Buenos Aires.,http://www.imminst.org/ http://www.imminst.org/SCOD.pdf
6. Wolbring, G, Human Security and NBICS, http://www.innovationwatch.com/choiceisyours/choiceisyours.2006.12.30.htm, 2006.,Innovationwatch.com webpage
7. Wolbring, G, NBICS and Social Cohesion, http://www.innovationwatch.com/choiceisyours/choiceisyours.2007.01.15.htm, 2007.,Innovationwatch.com webpage
8. Wolbring, G. HTA Initiative #23 The triangle of enhancement medicine, disabled people, and the concept of health: a new challenge for HTA, health research, and health policy, 2005, ISBN 1-894927-36-2 (Print); ISBN 1-894927-37-0 (On-Line); ISSN: 1706-7855 , http://www.ihe.ca/documents/hta/HTA-FR23.pdf,
9. Centre for Responsible Nanotechnology, Molecular Mnufactoring, http://www.crnano.org/overview.htm, 2005.,webpage
10. Cientifica. Nanotech and Food - The Real Numbers, 2006, http://www.cientifica.com/blog/mt/2006/08/nanotech_and_food_the_real_num.html, http://www.cientifica.com/www/summarys/Nano4FoodBrochure.pdf ,
11. ETC Group. THE POTENTIAL IMPACTS OF NANO-SCALE TECHNOLOGIES ON COMMODITY MARKETS: THE IMPLICATIONS FOR COMMODITY DEPENDENTDEVELOPING COUNTRIES, 2005, http://www.etcgroup.org/en/materials/publications.html?id=45, http://www.etcgroup.org/upload/publication/45/01/southcentre.commodities.pdf ,
12. Wolbring, G, Enhancement of Animals, http://www.innovationwatch.com/choiceisyours/choiceisyours-2007-03-15.htm, 2007.,Innovationwatch.com webpage
13. Guido David Núñez-Mujica, The Ethics of Enhancing Animals, http://transhumanlaw.org/The_ethics_of_enhancing_animals.ppt, 2005, http://transhumanlaw.org/program.htm.,1ST COLLOQUIUM ON THE LAW OF TRANSHUMAN PERSONS Terasem Movement webpage
14. Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, Convention on Biological Diversity, http://www.biodiv.org/default.shtml, 2006.,Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity
15. Wolbring, G, Nanoforestry, http://www.innovationwatch.com/choiceisyours/choiceisyours.2006.10.15.htm, 2006.,Innovationwatch.com webpage
16. Wolbring, G, Artificial Hippocampus, the Borg Hive Mind, and Other Neurological Endeavors, http://www.innovationwatch.com/choiceisyours/choiceisyours.2006.11.15.htm, 2006.,Innovationwatch.com webpage
17. Wolbring, G, Brain Machine Interfaces, http://www.innovationwatch.com/choiceisyours/choiceisyours.2006.11.30.htm, 2006.,Innovationwatch.com webpage
18. Wolbring, G.Universal Architectures: Gregor Wolbring on Nano-Bio-Info-Cogno (NBIC) convergence and the ethics of self-identity (2004) Horizon Zero 14, 2, http://www.horizonzero.ca/textsite/dream.php?is=14&file=11&tlang=0,
19. Wolbring, G.Three challenges to the Ottawa spirit of health promotion, trends in global health, and disabled people (2006) Canadian Journal of Public Health Sept/Oct
20. Wolbring, G, Kyoto Style Disease Intervention Credit Trading and Neglected Diseases, http://www.innovationwatch.com/choiceisyours/choiceisyours.2006.10.30.htm, 2006.,Innovationwatch.com webpage
21. Wolbring, G.Emerging technologies (Nano, Bio, Info, Cogno) and the changing concepts of Health and disability/impairment: A New Challenge for Health Policy, research and care (2006) Journal of Health and Development (India) 2, 1&2 19-37
22. Wolbring, G, Disease Trading and Disease Intervention and Prevention:Trading and Selling -- Kyoto Style, http://www.politicsofhealth.org/main/disease_trading_and_disease_intervention_and_prevention_trading_and_selling_--_kyoto_style, 2007.,Healthwrights.org webpage
23. Daar, A. S., Thorsteinsdottir, H., Martin, D. K., Smith, A. C., Nast, S., and Singer, P. A.Top ten biotechnologies for improving health in developing countries (2002) Nat Genet. 32, 2 229-232, PM:12355081,
24. Salamanca-Buentello, F., Persad, D. L., Court EB, Martin, D. K., Daar, A. S., and Singer, P. A.Nanotechnology and the developing world (2005) PLOS Med 2, 5 e97, http://medicine.plosjournals.org/perlserv?request=get-document&doi=10.1371/journal.pmed.0020097,
25. Heather L.Greenwood, H. T. G. P. J. R. P. A. S. A. S. D.Regenerative medicine: new opportunities for developing countries (2006) International Journal of Biotechnology 8, 1/2 60-77, http://www.inderscience.com/search/index.php?action=record&rec_id=8964&prevQuery=&ps=10&m=or, http://www.inderscience.com/storage/f121264109387115.pdf,
26. Heather L.Greenwood, P. A. S. G. P. D. D. K. M. H. T. A. S. D.Regenerative Medicine and the Developing World (2007) PLOS Med 3, 9, http://medicine.plosjournals.org/perlserv/?request=get-document&doi=10.1371%2Fjournal.pmed.0030381,
27. Wolbring, G, Science and Technology and High School Education, http://www.innovationwatch.com/choiceisyours/choiceisyours.2006.06.30.htm, 2006.,Innovationwatch.com webpage
28. UNESCO, REPORT BY THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL ON THE CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE EXPERT TEAM ON THE OVERALL REVIEW OF MAJOR PROGRAMMES II AND III, http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0015/001502/150264e.pdf, 2007.,UNESCO webpage
29. Wolbring, G, NBICS and Military Products, http://www.innovationwatch.com/choiceisyours/choiceisyours-2007-01-30.htm, 2007.,Innovationwatch.com webpage
30. Wolbring, G, NBICS, other convergences, ableism and the culture of peace, http://www.innovationwatch.com/choiceisyours/choiceisyours-2007-04-15.htm, 2007.,Innovationwatch.com webpage
31. Wolbring, G.Ability Studies: The politics of Ableism (2007) Development 50, 4
32. Wolbring, G, Ableism and NBICS, http://www.innovationwatch.com/choiceisyours/choiceisyours.2006.08.15.htm, 2006.,Innovationwatch.com webpage
33. Wolbring, G.Solutions follow perceptions: NBIC and the concept of health, medicine, disability and disease (2004) Health Law Rev 12, 3 41-46, PM:15706707,
34. Wolbring, G., (2003) in Converging Technologies for Improving Human Performance: Nanotechnology, Biotechnology, Information Technology and Cognitive Science (Mihail C.Roco National, W. S. B., Ed.) pp 232-243, Kluwer Academic, Dordrecht. http://www.wtec.org/ConvergingTechnologies/
35. SILVERS, A. W. D. a. M. M. B. (1998). Disability, Difference, Discrimination: Perspective on justice in bioethics and public policy(Point/counterpoint: Philosophers Debate Contemporary Issues) Rowman & Littlefield , Landham, Bolder, New York, Oxford
36. Herrnstein,
R. M. C. (1994). Bell Curve Free
Press.,http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bell_Curve
37. Wolbring, G, KEY TERMINOLOGIES IN THE FIELD OF DISABILITY: Change through NBICS, talk on the 27th July, 2006 at a World Health Organisation meeting, http://www.bioethicsanddisability.org/whatishealth.html , 2006.,International Center for Bioethics, Culture and Disability
38. Wolbring, G, What Convergence is in the Cards for Future Scientists? http://www.bioethicsanddisability.org/convergence, 2007.,Conference presentation Vienna May 2007 hosted on International Center for Bioethics Culture and Disability webpage
39. Wolbring, G, Scoping paper on Nanotechnology and disabled people, http://cns.asu.edu/cns-library/documents/wolbring-scoping%20CD%20final%20edit.doc, 2006.,Center for Nanotechnology in Society Arizona State University
40. Wolbring, G.Nano-engagement: For Whom? By Whom? With Whom? for what? What Risk? Medical Health? Environmental? Social? (2007) Journal of Health and Development (India) submitted,
41. United Nations, United Nations INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES, http://www.un.org/disabilities/convention/, 2007, http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/enable/index.html.,United Nations Convention webpage
42. Wolbring, G, NBICS and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities , http://www.innovationwatch.com/choiceisyours/choiceisyours.2006.09.15.htm, 2006, http://www.innovationwatch.com/commentary_choiceisyours.htm.,Innovationwatch.com webpage
[1] Although the title just mentions scientist this
convergence is in the card for nearly everyone
[3]<http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/episteme-techne/>
<http://www.culturaleconomics.atfreeweb.com/Disertation/6a.%20An%20Aside.htm>
<http://www.angelfire.com/md2/timewarp/ethics.html>
[5] Prospective Applications for CT in Nano-Bio-Info
Systems
(PACT-NBIS) www.apecforesight.org/apec_wide/EID/docs/khaolak/EID_khaolak_011_Jack_Smith.ppt
[8] COP II/11 (Jakarta, 6 - 17 November 1995) states:
“Reaffirms that HUMAN GENETIC RESOURCES are not included within the framework
of the Convention” (see also COP VI/24 Annex BONN GUIDELINES ON ACCESS TO
GENETIC RESOURCES AND FAIR AND EQUITABLE SHARING OF THE BENEFITS ARISING OUT OF
THEIR UTILIZATION C: Scope point 9).
[15] http://www.dbresearch.com/PROD/DBR_INTERNET_EN-PROD/PROD0000000000202587.pdf;jsessionid=1:451222c9:87a20b23d84617b
[16] http://www.dbresearch.com/PROD/DBR_INTERNET_EN-PROD/PROD0000000000202587.pdf;jsessionid=1:451222c9:87a20b23d84617b
[18] http://epnet.com/
[19] http://www.csa.com/
[20] http://www.ovid.com/site/index.jsp