Abstract
Far-reaching promises made by nanotechnology have raised the question of whether we are on the way to understanding human beings more and more as belonging to the realm of technology. In this paper, an increasing need to understand the technological re-conceptualization of human beings is diagnosed whenever increasingly “technical” interpretations of humans as mechanical entities are disseminated. And this can be observed at present in the framework of nanobiotechnology, a foremost “technical” self-description where a technical language is adopted. The arena in which the decision is made on increasing the use of technological understanding to define mankind will not be found in the surgery room in which one works with implants, nor the NBIC-laboratory, in which “nerve plugs” are supposed to be developed. The thesis of this paper is that such arena is rather related to the manner in which concepts of humanity are associated with it, how we think and talk about ourselves, and which consequences we draw out of it.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Coenen C (2006) Der posthumanistische Technikfuturismus in den Debatten über Nanotechnologie und Converging Technologies. In: Nordmann A, Schummer J, Schwarz A (Hg.) Nanotechnologien im Kontext. Akademische Verlagsgesellschaft, S195–S222
Drexler KE (1986) Engines of creation – the coming era of nanotechnology. Oxford University Press, Oxford
Dupuy J-P (2005) The philosophical foundations of nanoethics. Arguments for a method. Lecture at the Nanoethics Conference, University of South Carolina, March 2–5, 2005
Dupuy J-P, Grinbaum A (2004) Living with uncertainty: toward the ongoing normative assessment of nanotechnology. Techné 8:S4–S25
Fukuyama F (2002) Our posthuman future: consequences of the biotechnology revolution. Farrar, Strauss, and Giraux
Gehlen A (1962) Der Mensch. Seine Natur und seine Stellung in der Welt. 7. Aufl. Frankfurt/Bonn
Grunwald A (2002) Philosophy and the concept of technology. On the anthropological significance of technology. In: Grunwald A, Gutmann M, Neumann-Held E (eds) On human nature. Anthropological, philosophical and biological foundations. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, pp 173–188
Grunwald A (2007) Converging technologies: visions, increased contingencies of the conditio humana, and search for orientation. Futures 39 Sp. 380–392
Grunwald A, Julliard Y (2005) Technik als Reflexionsbegriff. Zur semantischen Struktur des Redens über Technik, in: Philosophia Naturalis, Heft 1, 2005, S
Habermas J (2001) Die Zukunft der menschlichen Natur. Suhrkamp, Frankfurt
Hook C (2004) The techno Sapiens are coming. Christianity today magazine, January 2004
Hubig C (2005) Technomorphe Technikphilosophie und ihre Alternativen. In: Dürr R, Gebauer G, Maring M, Schütt H-P, Pragmatisches philosophieren. Münster, 2005
Janich P (1996) Kulturalistische Erkenntnistheorie statt Informationismus. In: Hartmann D, Janich P (Hg.) Methodischer Kulturalismus. Zwischen Naturalismus und Postmoderne. Frankfurt, S115–S155
Joy B (2000) Why the future does not need us. Wired Magazine
Kralj M, Pavelic K (2003) Medicine on a small scale. How molecular medicine can benefit from self-assembled and nanostructured materials. EMBO Rep 4(11):1008–1012
Marcuse H (1967) Der eindimensionale Mensch. Luchterhand, Neuwied/Berlin
NNI – National Nanotechnology Initiative (1999) Shaping the world atom by atom. Washington
Nordmann A (2003) Shaping the world atom by atom: Eine nanowissenschaftliche WeltBildanalyse. In: Grunwald A (Hg.) Technikgestaltung zwischen Wunsch und Wirklichkeit. Springer, Berlin, S192–S203
Paschen H, Coenen C, Fleischer T, Grünwald R, Oertel D, und Revermann C (2004) Nanotechnologie. Forschung und Anwendungen. Springer, Berlin
Roco MC, Bainbridge WS (eds) (2002) Converging technologies for improving human performance. National Science Foundation, Arlington, Virginia
Schmid G, Brune H, Ernst H, Grünwald W, Grunwald A, Hofmann H, Krug H, Janich P, Mayor M, Rathgeber W, Simon U, Vogel V, Wyrwa D (2006) Nanotechnology. Assessment and Perspectives. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York
Siep L (2005) Die biotechnische Neuerfindung des Menschen. Vortrag auf dem XX. Deutschen Kongress für Philosophie am 28.9.2005 in Berlin
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Grunwald, A., Julliard, Y. Nanotechnology – Steps Towards Understanding Human Beings as Technology?. Nanoethics 1, 77–87 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11569-007-0010-y
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11569-007-0010-y