Is Man to Survive Science?

The following sections are included:

• Foreword
• Table of Contents
• Preliminaries
• Introduction

It's a long process, a steady maturation which leads the Nature and us, to our present status. Let us see how things took place and how they brought us where we are since the evolution of our mortal destiny.

Nanotechnology is a subject that is complex, multiple, moving, recent and still a little fuzzy. It is a typical example of the convergence of several scientific disciplines: physics (including electronics, optics, quantum mechanics, robotics, magnetism, etc…), chemistry (mineral, molecular, organic, structural, etc…), biology (cellular, genomic, etc…) and even medicine.

Software science was born after WWII. At that time, the ENIAC computer contributed largely to the development of the first atomic bombs. Nevertheless, this primitive computing machine was not yet a real “computer” as we currently know. It was only concerned with the four arithmetic operations (with large numbers however) but was largely faster than a human could have done with a pencil and a sheet of paper! The machine performed ahead of humans in intellectual work…

Beyond all the advances in physics and technology, evolutions must be taken into account that have been introduced by these progresses in the understanding of the living world, beginning with the smallest fundamental life units: the cells…

Brain is, by far, the lesser known part of the body but which might prove unexpectedly exciting. Some 11 or 20 years ago we did not know much about the brain, apart from its anatomy and some electrical parameters. The available means of investigation were very restricted. The revolution came during the last years because of the explosion of new experimental means: computer and imaging. But the many discoveries are presenting more questions than bringing the answers. Anyway, the spectacular advancements every day bring plenty of news; each year databases double in volume and performances…

Given all these progresses in our scientific knowledge, given all these technological promises, what would we be able to reasonably extrapolate as for our mid-term future without entering the domain of utopia? Unquestionably, we are on the verge of a major transformation, but which one? What kind of planet are we to leave to our children? How will the politic be able to control anything, will it be swept along by the torrent…

What could be the future of the current scientific research which is spreading its results in all directions, among all societies? This concern tends to get at the foreground of the human activity; it is likely to be present at all levels and in every sector even if it is often not so “scientific”. Would research become an essential activity extended to the whole planet and all social levels? Can it be considered as a goal for civilization?

The tools we currently use in biology, genetics, as well as robotics or software are to allow a direct access to man's intimacy to the point that his very nature could be called into question…

All these new things will steadily arrive and will upset our lives, by bringing out controversies, diatribes, conflicts of opinion; but the fact is they still exist and we cannot ignore them. So enormous would be the expected changes, we shall have to take them into account.

It is understood that touching upon such a subject within few pages is a challenge; the risk is that the subject may hurt people's feelings and acquired beliefs. However, the question remains “is God to survive Science?”; to close this book, some words are still necessary to our reflection, with no partisan approach in mind; this, of course, will not give way to any definitive conclusion…

At the end of this discussion what could we hold concerning our future? Let us take our crystal bowl and have a look inside…

The following section is included:

• Index