Sociology with the Application of Nanotechnology and its Implications - Essay Example

Module Sociology with the Application of Na chnology and its Implications INTRODUCTION The constantly improving technologicalabilities in the society have practically changed the world. In this modern time, technology has replaced the traditional methods of solving problems. It has sprouted to every sector of the economy. Humans have continuously sought for ways of improving their lives and simplifying complex tasks. Consequently, solutions for many problems in the world have been found through science. Through the many research works and diligent studies, efficient methods have been identified that have undoubtedly changed the society, arguably, for the better. Although science and technology have received considerable criticisms and challenges, a majority of the people have overwhelmingly embraced and supported it. Technology has resulted in numerous unfavorable social, environmental, political and ethical impacts that have largely transformed the globe. However, its benefits especially in making work easier have made it popular. In the recent past, there have been various inventions and innovations that have resulted in everyone talking. It is quite fascinating to realize that technology has made it possible to come up with structures and devices that can function almost similarly to a human being. Robots are still a wonder in the science world. Nanotechnology is an area that has consequentially transformed the order of the world today. In the contemporary society, nanotechnology is regarded as an epitome of evolutionary science owing to the profound impacts it has had since its inception. This paper seeks to address the topic of nanotechnology from a sociological point of view and predict its likely state few years to come. Description of Nanotechnology Nanotechnology, which is also known as ‘nano-science’, is a technological knowledge that involves the handling and influencing of molecules and atoms to produce different sophisticated forms that can be used for advanced operations. It is a vast discipline of study that integrates knowledge from various natural sciences to inform its activities. In a nutshell, nanotechnology is an advanced area of science that has sought to transform the society through its myriad inventions and innovations. This has been construed by different people to be an evolutionary science that is aimed at replacing nearly everything with new advanced technological equipment and machines. In most technical terms, it is considered as the technological manipulation of matter to give rise to better forms that can function to achieve practical outcomes. Through the technology, more sophisticated products have been created in different fields; medicine, business, agriculture among others. In the arena of medicine, nanotechnology has been deployed to generate numerous replacements for various body organs such as the leg, ear among others. Analysis and Discussion The training engineers and technologist get is primarily meant to equip them with skills and expertise that puts them ahead of time by allowing them to explore areas that have not been naturally adventured. (Merger) Nanotechnology meets the exact objectives of scientific engineering. It aims at doing things different and in a more compounded manner. Different viewpoints construe nanotechnology variedly with the ‘pro-technology’ persons viewing it as a noble advancement that will provide remedy to most problems affecting human in their society. However, it has also been greatly criticized especially on moral and religious grounds for its attempt to transform man into a machine-like creature that can modified and its parts be replaced at will. Numerous of the inventions that the scientists have come up with are basically meant to enhance disabilities and ineffectiveness that can be medically identified in man. Scientists oriented to this technology strongly believe that various aspects of humankind can be improved if the technology is deployed. Areas such as the mental processes, as well as motor functioning, are, undisputedly, among those that makes a person complete and impactful in their environment. Finding ways of enhancing these capacities would be important to the society. For example, the technology can allow for brain implant which would enable one get genes from ‘generous minds’ thereby improving their cognitive operations (Kostarelos). The hypothetical foundations of this technology are established and built from the scientific fictions and fantasy movies. These fiction films portray the world as an ‘easily manageable space’ where scientists can simply go about answering fantasy questions through their researches. These studies (including nanotechnology) are seen by most people as evolutions that seek to revolutionize the world from its natural nature to an artificial system that is built on science and imaginations. For example, creating a robot that can move around and execute duties in similar fashion as humans would do is an artificial invention that is shifting the society from its natural state to a ‘man-made’ structure that is founded on guess work. Science is about trial and error. It involves falsifying (or modifying) the current things simply because new better ways have been identified. Nanotechnology, therefore, falls within this category in which an item is accepted because it produces effective outcomes that meet the demands of the producers. Although in the previous times the conceptions about human-like machines could only be imagined when watching fiction movies such as Spider-Man, the reality of these is slowly dawning on the society. At first people would dismiss them and claim those are just film makings. Today, robots and human machines are selling in the market and the interested people are purchasing them for industrial and domestic use (Kostarelos). It is right to admit this society is very dynamic and today, people are living in the imaginations of the past. Surely, would anyone who died half a century ago recognize the current world; perhaps not because technology has risen to dominate every facet of this globe. The relationship humans have had with technology has made everything look totally different from what it naturally should. People have artificial limbs, machines ‘working’ in offices as messengers, self-driven electric cars among others are some of the interesting ‘gifts’ technology (specifically nanotechnology) has given the society. The case of Oscar Pistorius, an athlete who got his artificial legs through nanotechnology is inspiring. Having had the two legs amputated, Pistorius resorted to nanotechnology to help indemnify ad restore him back to the state he was before. He went on to compete in matches just like any other person although he did not have the natural legs; thanks to nanotechnology. There are many benefits that nanotechnology brings to people especially those who are incapacitated in one way or the other. Disability is almost non-existent with nanotechnology. If the cognition of individuals can be modified or prefabricated, can it be impossible to make those who have no legs walk; certainly not as the technology is scaling up in medicine to ensure that humans get their body spare parts just like the machine. If one is not content with the size or nature of their ears, they can just apply for a replacement. That is how far technology has escalated the society; to advance levels indeed. People suffering from various diseases and conditions can be assisted to adopt artificial, machine-aided lifestyle that can neutralize their miseries and make them normally live (Heller and Peterson). For example, people who experience challenges of hearing and speaking have equipment and devices that can aid them to ensure they live a life almost similar to a medically normal one. Ethical Concerns and Controversies Surrounding Nanotechnology Evidentially, benefits nanotechnologies bring to human life are many. However, the issues have had several moral, legal and religious concerns with many parties rising strongly to oppose this development. First, individuals and organizations whose basis of the argument is founded on religious grounds have strongly condemned nanotechnology and the scientific development as a serious mockery to God. From this point view, nanotechnology is seen as disdain to the Creator who created the world as it is, and no artificial restructuring of that magnitude should be initiated. Religious scholars and debaters argue that God has an orderly way of doing things and artificially changing His creations is against the religious provisions. They strongly believe that science is attempting to create an unwarranted and gratuitous evolution that is contrary to the religious creation and origin story. For example, nanotechnology, judging from its trends, will allow people to repair their bodies and backdate to the younger days. This implies that old age will be a thing of the past. This is in contrary to most religious teachings about the progression of life from birth to death (Kostarelos). Similarly, there is no doubt that human sufferings and miseries that come in form of pain and diseases will go away if nanotechnology is effectively integrated into the society. This is due to the many ‘enhancements’ and medication methods that this technology will introduce. These are extremely controversial and contentious issues that have met several criticisms. The fact that nanotechnology will rip through human cognition and introduce ways of enhancing intelligence is a big threat to the societal ethics and moral values. Use of artificial enhancement that give an individual advantage over the others in a competition is both a moral and legal issue that has attracted heated arguments. For example, the case of Oscar Pistorius has been globally discussed with different parties taking diverse point views. His ‘technologically-enhanced’ legs were seen by the federation of athletics as an advantage that he had over his competitors; something that was extensively argued upon. Although he was allowed to participate in the 2008 Olympics, most people felt it was unethical and unfair for him to compete against those who had natural legs (Heller and Peterson). The necessity to gain advantage over players in matches and competitions is slowly driving several sportsperson to apply nanotechnologies. People would virtually do anything they can to win games and resorting to unethical practices is one of the many options they have. Technology has worked to the advantage of those athletes who are dishonest. Doping, laser eye surgery among other technological procedure are some of the actions athletes have been lately engaged in to put them on high grounds of winning the competition. Tiger Woods, one of the most prolific golfers of all time, has been linked to these unhealthy practices of eye surgery that, apparently, make him to be in a position of high visual focus when playing; something that the opponents could not be aware of. These monumental issues that arise can be attributed to nanotechnology that has been fast making numerous inventions (Heller and Peterson). Similarly, it is hard to imagine, for those opposed to technological enhancements, how the world will be when everyone is mental enhancements. How will the exact mental capacity and intelligence of individuals be evaluated in recruitment places? Will there be a fair competition when some people, in the same job interview, are mentally-enhanced while others are not. It implies that those who can afford to purchase the items will have an unnecessary advantage over their fellow competitors. This is a disruption of the social and moral values of equity, justice for peaceful coexistence (Berger). Enhancements such as those of beauty and esthetics will be deceiving, and awards in competitions such as modeling and beauty contests will be given to undeserving persons. Consequently, it has been argued by those opposed to nanotechnology is a vehicle that is driving the society to social and economic disparities. Owing to the high prices of the nanotechnology equipment and procedures, the portion of the society that is not able to afford will be divided and separated on an extreme end of the social life. For example, if one is incapable of paying for brain implant, then they will most likely miss the job opportunity they stood a chance of getting to the rich persons who could respond to the interview questions appropriately due to their enhanced cognitive abilities. The enhanced persons will practically control large portions of the societal resources leaving the underclass with almost nothing to lay hands on. According to conflict theory, the deviance and criminal activities emerge when individuals in the society realize they lack the resources while others have. They will, therefore, engage in constant conflicts and violence making the society become unstable. Similarly, lack of enhancements would sparkle and stir violence and disorder in the society. In contrast, the school of thought that supports nanotechnology has forwarded a counterargument explaining that every individual in the society should be autonomous in thinking and actions. This implies that people should be left to make independent choices whether they want to apply enhancements or not. For example, if a person decides (as long as they can afford) to undergo plastic surgery or use any enhancement, they should be allowed to do without any restriction. Men and women of mature age, who can make rational decisions, would be allowed to make their own choices since they own their bodies. This perspective only limits people who are sick mentally and children below age. Any other person who feels okay enhancing any part of their body should not be limited under any condition. The Future of the Society in Relation to Nanotechnology Based on the above discussion, there is no doubt that the conflicts caused by nanotechnology will worsen in 5-10 years. Scientists (nanotechnologists) are in the laboratory busy working on how to come up with even more advanced and sophisticated equipment and methods. This means that technology will continue advancing and producing devices, as well as procedures generated from nanotechnology will flood the society. Currently, although there is a mixed reaction towards this technology, the conflicts have not become striking. In the future, the conflicts between technology and moral/ethics might be salient that the governments may need to regulate it. Laws and policies will be formulated and enacted to control the application of nanotechnology in contexts that are of public concern as to achieve equality and fairness. Imaginably laws may be set to ban specific enhancement from being used in specific areas. For example, while applicants who seek to work in a public/government sectors should not have cognitive enhancements. CONCLUSION Technology has, unquestionably, changed and transformed the society over the years. The trend also indicates it will further continue influencing the world radically in the few years to come. Nanotechnology is among the inventions that have given the world a completely new face where machines have imitated man in an almost perfect way. In some cases, the machines made using nanotechnology have performed better than the real people they mimic. This has reinforced the production of even more sophisticated technology products. However, nanotechnology products and procedures have been considerably criticized both by the moralists and religionists who feel nanotechnology is a tool that is out to disrupt the moral organization of the society. The religious perspective finds nanotechnology to be an attempt to replace God with an evolutionary science. Predictably, the conflicts are likely to exacerbate in future due to the relentless efforts by nanotechnologists to produce more of these. It is predicted that it may force governments to enact policies and regulations that can control and bring balance to these two opposing sides. Works Cited Berger, Michael. Nanotechnology, Transhumanism and the Bionic Man. Nanowerk.com. N.p., 2008. Web. 6 May 2015. Heller, Jacob, & Christine Peterson. Human Enhancement And Nanotechnology. Foresight.org. N.p., 2015. Web. 6 May 2015. Kostarelos, Kostas. Yes, Nanoscience Can Enhance Humans – But Ethical Guidelines Must Be Agreed. the Guardian. N.p., 2013. Web. 6 May 2015. Read More