Emerging technologies and converging technologies are terms used interchangeably to cover the emergence and convergence of new and potentially disruptive technologies such as nanotechnology, biotechnology, cognitive science, robotics, and artificial intelligence. Image File history File links Portal. ... A termite cathedral mound produced by a termite colony: a classic example of emergence in nature. ... Technological convergence is the modern presence of a vast array of different types of technology to perform very similar tasks. ... By the mid 20th century humans had achieved a mastery of technology sufficient to leave the surface of the Earth for the first time and explore space. ... Nanotechnology refers to a field of applied science and technology whose theme is the control of matter on the atomic and molecular scale, generally 100 nanometers or smaller, and the fabrication of devices that lie within that size range. ... Insulin crystals Biotechnology is technology based on biology, especially when used in agriculture, food science, and medicine. ... Cognitive science is usually defined as the scientific study either of mind or of intelligence (e. ... The Shadow robot hand system holding a lightbulb. ... AI redirects here. ...

Overview

Various writers, including computer scientist Bill Joy, have identified clusters of technologies that they consider critical to humanity's future.^[1] Advocates of the benefits of technological change typically see emerging and converging technologies as offering hope for the betterment of the human condition. However, critics of the risks of technological change, and even some advocates such as transhumanist philosopher Nick Bostrom, warn that some of these technologies could pose dangers, perhaps even contribute to the extinction of humanity itself; i.e., some of them could involve existential risks.^[2][3] Computer science (informally: CS or compsci) is, in its most general sense, the study of computation and information processing, both in hardware and in software. ... Bill Joy William Nelson Joy (born Nov 8, 1954), commonly known as Bill Joy, is an American computer scientist. ... A technological change is a term that is used in economics to describe a change in the set of feasible production possibilities. ... Transhumanism is an emergent school of speculative philosophy analysing or favouring the use of science and technology, especially neurotechnology, biotechnology, and nanotechnology, to overcome human limitations and improve the human condition. ... Nick Bostrom at a 2006 summit at Stanford University. ... Human extinction is the as-yet hypothetical extinction of the human species, Homo sapiens. ... Scope/intensity grid from Bostroms existential risk paper. ...

Much ethical debate centers on issues of distributive justice in allocating access to beneficial forms of technology. Some thinkers, such as environmental ethicist Bill McKibben, oppose the continuing development of advanced technology partly out of fear that its benefits will be distributed unequally in ways that could worsen the plight of the poor.^[4] By contrast, inventor Ray Kurzweil is among techno-utopians who believe that emerging and converging technologies could and will eliminate poverty and abolish suffering.^[5] Ethics of technology is a subfield of Ethics addressing the ethical questions specific to the Technology Age. ... Distributive justice - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... Environmental ethics is the part of environmental philosophy which considers the ethical relationship between human beings and the natural environment. ... Bill McKibben attending a 2006 summit via HDTV uplink Bill McKibben is an American environmentalist and writer who frequently writes about global warming, alternative energy, and the risks associated with human genetic engineering. ... Differences in national income equality around the world as measured by the national Gini coefficient. ... For other uses, see Inventor (disambiguation). ... Dr. Raymond Kurzweil (born February 12, 1948) is a pioneer in the fields of optical character recognition (OCR), text-to-speech synthesis, speech recognition technology, and electronic musical keyboards. ... Techno-utopianism refers to any ideology based on the belief that advanced science and technology will eventually bring about a techno-utopia, a future society with ideal living conditions for all its citizens. ... Post scarcity or post-scarcity describes a hypothetical form of economy or society, often explored in science fiction, in which things such as goods, services and information are free, or practically free. ... Abolitionism is a bioethical school and movement which proposes the use of biotechnology to maximize happiness and minimize suffering while working towards the abolition of involuntary suffering. ...

Acronyms

NBIC, an acronym standing for Nanotechnology, Biotechnology, Information technology and Cognitive science, is currently the most popular term for emerging and converging technologies, and was introduced into public discourse through the publication of Converging Technologies for Improving Human Performance, a report sponsored in part by the U.S. National Science Foundation. The term may have been chosen for its obvious immediate parallels to NBC weapons of mass destruction (Nuclear, Biological and Chemical).^[6] Nanotechnology refers to a field of applied science and technology whose theme is the control of matter on the atomic and molecular scale, generally 100 nanometers or smaller, and the fabrication of devices that lie within that size range. ... Insulin crystals Biotechnology is technology based on biology, especially when used in agriculture, food science, and medicine. ... Information and communication technology spending in 2005 Information Technology (IT), as defined by the Information Technology Association of America (ITAA), is the study, design, development, implementation, support or management of computer-based information systems, particularly software applications and computer hardware. ... Cognitive science is usually defined as the scientific study either of mind or of intelligence (e. ... Cover of 2002 report. ... The logo of the National Science Foundation The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent United States government agency that supports fundamental research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering. ... NBC is an initialism used to indicate nuclear, biological and chemical weapons. ... The mushroom cloud of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki, Japan, 1945, rose some 18 kilometers (11 mi) above the hypocenter A nuclear weapon derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions of fusion or fission. ... For the use of biological agents by terrorists, see bioterrorism. ... Chemical warfare involves using the toxic properties of chemical substances to kill, injure or incapacitate an enemy. ...

Various other acronyms have been offered for essentially the same concept such as GNR (Genetics, Nanotechnology and Robotics). Journalist Joel Garreau in Radical Evolution: The Promise and Peril of Enhancing Our Minds, Our Bodies — and What It Means to Be Human uses "GRIN", for Genetic, Robotic, Information, and Nano processes,^[7] while science journalist Douglas Mulhall in Our Molecular Future: How Nanotechnology, Robotics, Genetics and Artificial Intelligence Will Transform Our World uses "GRAIN", for Genetics, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, and Nanotechnology.^[8] Another acronym coined by the appropriate technology organization ETC Group is "BANG" for "Bits, Atoms, Neurons, Genes".^[9] This article is about the general scientific term. ... The Shadow robot hand system holding a lightbulb. ... Joel Garreau (born 1948) is a journalist and author. ... Please wikify (format) this article or section as suggested in the Guide to layout and the Manual of Style. ... A science journalist is a journalist who specializes in writing about science topics, and thus excercises science journalism. ... AI redirects here. ... ETC group (formerly RAFI - Rural Advancement Foundation International) is an international organization dedicated to countering the problems they see in Erosion, Technology and Concentration. ... This article is about the unit of information. ... For other uses, see Atom (disambiguation). ... This article is about cells in the nervous system. ... For other uses, see Gene (disambiguation). ...

See also

Bioconservatism is a stance of hesitancy about biotechnological development especially if it is perceived to threaten a social order. ... Bioethics is the ethics of biological science and medicine. ... A neologism invented by Michel Foucault, the term Biopolitics or Biopolitical can refer to several different yet not incompatible concepts: In the work of Michel Foucault, the style of government that regulates populations through biopower. ... In futures studies, especially in Europe, the term foresight has become common as of 2005, embracing activities of critical thinking concerning long-term developments, debate and effort to create wider participation in decisions, shaping the future, especially by influencing public policy and strategic decisions (European Commission Foresight Website 2005; FOREN... Future energy development, providing for the worlds future energy needs, currently faces great challenges. ... Futurology is the detailed critical inspection and reasoning of the state in which things will develop in the future on the basis of existing circumstances in history. ... Human enhancement describes any attempt, whether temporary or permanent, to overcome the current limitations of human cognitive and physical abilities, whether through natural or artificial means. ... The Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies was founded in 2004 by philosopher Nick Bostrom and bioethicist James Hughes. ... The Institute on Biotechnology and the Human Future (IBHF) is an affiliate of the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) and is housed at IIT’s Chicago-Kent College of Law. ... This is a list of emerging technologies. ... Techno-progressivism, technoprogressivism, or tech-progressivism (a portmanteau word combining technology-focused and progressivism), is a stance of active support for technological development and social progress. ... Technology development is the process of research and development of technology. ... Main article: Technology Technology and society or technology and culture refers to the never-ending cyclical co-dependence, co-influence, co-production of technology and society upon the other (technology upon culture, and vice-versa). ... Posthuman Future, an illustration by Michael Gibbs for The Chronicle of Higher Educations look at how biotechnology will change the human experience, has become one of the secular icons representing transhumanism. ...

References

Bill Joy William Nelson Joy (born Nov 8, 1954), commonly known as Bill Joy, is an American computer scientist. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 318th day of the year (319th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Nick Bostrom at a 2006 summit at Stanford University. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 52nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Kevin Warwick speaking at the Tomorrows People conference in 2006 hosted by Oxford University. ... Bill McKibben attending a 2006 summit via HDTV uplink Bill McKibben is an American environmentalist and writer who frequently writes about global warming, alternative energy, and the risks associated with human genetic engineering. ... Raymond Kurzweil (pronounced: ) (born February 12, 1948) is a pioneer in the fields of optical character recognition (OCR), text-to-speech synthesis, speech recognition technology, and electronic keyboard instruments. ... Cover of the book The Singularity Is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology (Viking Penguin, ISBN 0-670-03384-7) is a 2005 update of Raymond Kurzweils 1999 book, The Age of Spiritual Machines and his 1987 book The Age of Intelligent Machines. ... Dr. William Sims Bainbridge (October 12, 1940 - present) is an innovative American sociologist who currently resides in Virginia. ... Cover of 2002 report. ... Joel Garreau (born 1948) is a journalist and author. ... Please wikify (format) this article or section as suggested in the Guide to layout and the Manual of Style. ... ETC group (formerly RAFI - Rural Advancement Foundation International) is an international organization dedicated to countering the problems they see in Erosion, Technology and Concentration. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 40th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• Collaborating on Converging Technologies: Education and Practice
• Converging Technologies NSF-sponsored reports
• European Parliament Technology Assessment on Converging Technologies report
• ETC Group
• FutureTAG: NBIC
• Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies
• Institute on Biotechnology and the Human Future
• NBIC Convergence 2004 conference