Published 2014-02-02
Keywords
- Technoscience,
- Accesibillity of techoscience t echnol ogy,
- Social exclusion,
- Precautionary principle,
- Nanotechnology
How to Cite
Abstract
The article presents some reflections about the implications and consequences of the growing relevance of the activities known generally as “technoscience”. Such activities contribute substantially to the solidification of a model of social and economic organization that segregates wide sectors of the population from its benefits, and at the same time endangers the sustainability of the planet. The items that we examine are: (a) the diffusion and accessibility of these technologies among diverse social sectors: (b) the bases for legitimacy alleged by those who favor the uncritical acceptation of the scientific and technical advances; and (c) the role that scientific and technical insti tutions should play so that the practices ser ve a genuinely
democratic society. We analyze the case of the present developments i n the fi el d of nanotechnol ogy i n the aforementioned aspects. Although there i s at present an important consensus between specialists that nanotechnology shall be a crucial factor for the solution of the serious problems originated by the social exclusion affecting a great part of the planet, this world of promises must be set beside another world, one that refers to the possi bil i ty that this new technology be employed toward less altruistic ends.