THE NEXT MECHANICAL REVOLUTION AND THE LAWS OF HUMAN NATURE

来源 :机械技术史 | 被引量 : 0次 | 上传用户:fa239831983fa
下载到本地 , 更方便阅读
声明 : 本文档内容版权归属内容提供方 , 如果您对本文有版权争议 , 可与客服联系进行内容授权或下架
论文部分内容阅读
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.
其他文献
说到UCLA,首先要提到的就是约翰-伍登,这位篮球史上最伟大的教练。在伍登执教UCLA长达27年的时间里,先后拿到了10个NCAA冠军,包括空前绝后的7连冠(1967-1973),同时还创造了令
一、发展和现状钼金属材料的发展始于1909年,美国通用电器公司发明了粉末法,即用金属钼粉经压型、烧结、锻打、拉拔等工艺制出钼丝。从此以后,钼便以丝、片、棒的形式应用于
“dB”小知识陈仁政(四川自贡十六中643000)众所周知,dB(deci-Bel,分贝尔,简称分贝)是国家选定的非国际单位制的级差单位.笔者作为一名理科教师,不时被问及一些有关dB的知识.以下录出查阅资料和学习的一些体
一、拉削余量拉削余量的大小直接会影响拉刀的长度,如加工孔径Φ30mm,长度30mm多的工件,拉削余量一般取1mm,但见到西德、日本的拉刀,如上述相似尺寸的工件的拉削余量只有0.3
光盘出版物由问世到蓬勃发展,是否称得上“光盘革命”尚待观察。然而光盘即将进入出版主流,却是不争的事实。世界上知名的出版界大户,已首先抓住其储存量大及检索方便等许多
职业能力是高职学生就业与发展的必然前提,高职院校的体育教学要结合学生特点和发展需求,不断提升学生的职业体能、磨练学生的职业意志、增强学生的团队精神、提高学生的竞争
一、引言信息时代的到来,一项以数字化、网络化、电子化为特征的信息传播交流技术正成为全球瞩目的焦点,许多传统产业面临网络工程的挑战。网络市场的特征主要体现在信息收集
1、佛罗里达大学短吻鳄Gators佛罗里达是美国的鳄鱼之乡。所以,佛罗里达的艾尔伯特和艾尔波塔这对鳄鱼兄妹就成了美国大学中非常知名的吉祥物。2、堪萨斯大学松鸦鹰Jayhawks
本文探讨了用 X 射线衍射仪准确测定氮化层厚度的方法。它与传统的金相法比较,有较大的优点,这对氮化层的深入研究以及生产中的质量控制,都具有一定的指导意义。 In this pa
老人街喻剑平半个世纪以前,老粮仓曾是这方唯一繁华的街市,一条旧时驿道穿街而过。每到傍晚,两头栅门一关,街道两面鳞次栉比的砖房木楼,就围成了一个独立的“城堡”。30多家店铺,挂上