Total-control approach
From Wise Nano
Contents |
Overview
Molecular manufacturing will be extremely desirable, powerful, and dangerous. A tabletop general-purpose manufacturing system could be used to build weapons of mass destruction simply by downloading the weapon blueprint/design file.
There are three possibilities:
- Total control
- Limited control
- No control
This article explores the "Total control" approach.
The point of this approach is to keep nanofactories away from the bad guys.
How it works
In this approach, nanofactories would be highly restricted, like nuclear technology only more so. Because nanofactories are small and self-contained, an unrestricted nanofactory can be smuggled easily; because they can be used to build duplicates rapidly, even one security breach could lead to "No control" worldwide.
Bootstrapping a nanofactory (building one from scratch) will rapidly get easier. By 2020, it may be possible to do it in a garage. This implies that very intrusive surveillance will be required to keep any control over nanofactory technology--especially since the control regime will generate resistance.
Advantages
Allows control to be kept, at least for a while.
Disadvantages
The administration, whatever form it takes, will have to scrutinize everyone's activities in rapidly increasing levels of detail. Even if they are well-intentioned, we will be living in a combination fishbowl/prison. The administration will have a very strong temptation to become control freaks.
