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The quantum theory developed at the beginning of this century has established the foundation for a law of nature and led to the discovery of DNA and RNA—the codes of life.Following spectacular successful applications in both medical and agricultural fields,another new frontier is being opened by the researchers at the NASA/Ames research center and elsewhere across the United States to investigate the possibility of imitating the way nature builds organisms for new ways of building machines. Tough questions are therefore raised:can a revolution be raised inside the mechanical domain without the involvement of mechanical engineers? What do today’s mechanical engineers do when the manipulation of atoms/molecules as material building blocks guided by DNA-like replication control becomes successful? Should mechanical engineers at that time warn the next mechanical revolution pioneers the same way as our most trusted computational tool developers have warned us in the use of MSC-NASTRAN:“In the rush to automate,you must keep in mind that no technology available today can take the place of engineering judgement”.There was no instruction with regards to how to nurture or to measure one’s engineering judgement.The money incentive hidden in the loopholes of today’s doctrines of democracy,free enterprise, and academic freedom,have formidable power that is far greater than can be imagined.This hidden incentive offers an attractive bonus to those who cheat or goof,but imposes the severest penalty to those who are honest and highly efficient,In competing for profit,the human nature is good at learning shortcuts and being self-serving.Therefore,unless there is a balance of power in the form of noble judgement created from within,or very strict disciplines and effective scrutiny imposed to counter-balance acting from without, the outrageous moral trickling down is bound to happen.Since the perfect disciplines and effective scrutiny are very difficulty to establish,the easiest thing and also the very,first thing the society can do is to update the doctrine of democracy that there is no longer a safe heaven for the misuse of powerful science and technology.Bringing about the next mechanical revolution without first taming human nature and establishing proper incentives can be the most disastrous thing in human history.Bringing mechanical capability to the best of what humans and machines can do,not nanotechnology,should be the mission of the next mechanical revolution.To omitting this step,would result in an outcome to humanity that worsens with increasingly powerful technology.
The quantum theory developed at the beginning of this century has established the foundation for a law of nature and led to the discovery of DNA and RNA-the codes of life. Popular spectacular successful applications in both medical and agricultural fields, another new frontier is being opened by the researchers at the NASA / Ames research center and elsewhere across the United States to investigate the possibility of imitating the way nature builds organisms for new ways of building machines. Tough questions are caused raised: can a revolution be raised inside the mechanical domain without the involvement of mechanical engineers? What do today’s mechanical engineers do when the manipulation of atoms / molecules as material building blocks guided by DNA-like replication control becomes successful? Should mechanical engineers at that time warn the next mechanical revolution pioneers the same way as our most trusted computational tool developers have warned us in the use of MSC-NASTRAN: “ In the rush to automate, you must keep in mind that no technology available today can take the place of engineering judgement. ”There was no instruction with regards to how to nurture or to measure one’s engineering judgment. The money incentive hidden in the loopholes of today’s doctrines of democracy, free enterprise, and academic freedom, have formidable power that is far greater than can be imagined. This hidden offers offers an attractive bonus to those who cheat or goof, but imposes the severest penalty to those who are honest and highly efficient, In competing for profit, the human nature is good at learning shortcuts and being self-serving.Therefore, unless there is a balance of power in the form of noble judgment created from within, or very strict disciplines and effective scrutiny imposed to counter-balance acting from without, the outrageous moral trickling down is bound to happen.Since the perfect disciplines and effective scrutiny are very difficult to establish, the easiest t hing and also the very, first thing the society can do is to update the doctrine of democracy that there is no longer a safe heaven for the misuse of powerful science and technology. Ringing about the next mechanical revolution without first taming human nature and establishing proper can can the most disastrous thing in human history. Bringing mechanical capability to the best of what humans and machines can do, not nanotechnology, should be the mission of the next mechanical revolution. To omit this step, would result in an outcome to humanity that worsens with increasingly powerful technology.