Subject: [extropy-chat] Social Implications of Nanotech

[CurtAdams at aol.com]

In a message dated 11/13/03 11:11:52, rhanson at gmu.edu writes:

>On 11/13/2003, Curt Adams wrote:
>>Without self-replication, I don't see any good reason that nanotechnology
>>will produce effects fundamentally different from other revolutionary
>techs,
>>like railroads, electricity, scientific drug design or computers.
>
>Well each of those revolutions did produce different effects, but you might
>well argue that these differences are small compared to the effect of
>self-replication of programmable nano-factories.

I was thinking in terms of scope and degree or reorganization.  Yes, the
effects were quite different in specific effects; but we're still in the 
wild speculation phase trying to figure out the detailed effects of nano.
Self replication is obviously *potentially* a whole different kettle of 
fish.  That's not guaranteed, though; biotech"factories" self-replicate
but the design costs are so high it doesn't fundamentally change things.