The Politics Of Emerging Strategic Technologies: Implications For Geopolitics, Human Enhancement And Human Destiny (st Antony's Series)

Examines key trends in emerging strategic technologies and the implications for geopolitics and human dignity. Al-Rodhan argues that future evolution into transhumans is inevitable. In preparation, the global community is urged to establish strict moral and legal guidelines balancing innovation with the guarantee of dignity for all, Emerging technologies hold great promise but also pose major challenges to global politics, national and international security, human dignity and human destiny. This book examines the latest innovations, key trends and geopolitical and human implications of emerging strategic technologies such as Biotechnology, Nanotechnology and Artificial Intelligence. The potential use and misuse of these technologies in human enhancement (physical and cognitive) is considered to be one of the major challenges of our time. Nayef Al-Rodhan argues that human enhancement and the future evolution into transhumans is inevitable. To prepare for these potential existential threats, the global community is urged to establish strict moral and legal guidelines that balance the need for innovation with the guarantee of dignity for all Cover 1 Title 4 Copyright 5 Contents 6 Acknowledgements 10 General Introduction 11 Knowledge and its influence on technological innovation and development 13 The theoretical foundation: approaching the study of science and technology through the lens of ‘neuro- rational physicalism (NRP)’ 17 An overview of this book 20 Part I Emerging Strategic Technologies: Geopolitical Implications 22 1 Introduction 23 2 Information and Communications Technology (ICT) 26 General overview 26 The global ICT industry 26 Relevant technologies 27 Regulatory structures 33 Challenges 39 Geopolitical implications of ICT 43 An overview of key trends and developments in ICT 53 3 Energy and Climate Change 55 General overview 55 Climate change: the nature of the threat 55 The global energy industry: challenges and trends 59 The intersection of climate and energy: relevant strategic technologies 60 Governance and regulation 70 Geopolitical implications of technology for energy and the environment 75 An overview of key trends and developments 79 4 Health Care 81 General overview 81 The global health care industry 82 Key technological drivers in health care and medicine 83 Geopolitical implications of health care technologies 87 5 Biotechnology 96 General overview 96 The biotechnology industry 98 The different areas of biotech research 99 Biotechnology, the dual- use dilemma and research governance 103 Geopolitical implications of biotechnology 107 An overview of the key trends and developments in biotechnology 112 6 Genomics 114 Genomics: a general overview 114 The genomics industry: past, present and future 115 Different areas of genetic research 116 Proteomics: a complementary science 120 Metabolomics 121 Epigenetics 122 International governance and regulation 123 Geopolitical implications of genomics 123 An overview of key trends and developments in genomics 130 7 Nanotechnology 131 General overview 131 Regulating nanotechnology: risks and opportunities 134 Nanoconvergence: combining nanotechnology with other technologies 137 Geopolitical implications of nanotechnology 140 8 Materials Science 147 General overview 147 The materials science industry and relevant technologies 147 The regulation of materials science 153 Geopolitical implications of materials science 154 An overview of key trends and developments 158 9 Artificial Intelligence 160 Artificial intelligence: a general overview 160 Relevant technologies: AI 163 Regulatory structures 167 Geopolitical implications of artificial intelligence 170 An overview of key trends and developments in artificial intelligence 179 10 Conclusions of Part I 180 Part II Emerging Strategic Technologies: Human Enhancement, Dignity and Destiny Implications 183 11 Introduction: Definitions, Terms and Concepts 184 General overview 184 Definitions 185 Conclusion 200 12 Human Enhancement: The Nature of the Debate 201 The case against enhancement 201 The case for enhancement 205 Technodemocrats 210 My view: the inevitability of human enhancement 211 ‘Inevitable transhumanism’ and a framework for the human enhancement debate 213 13 The Science and Technology of Human Enhancement 215 Physical enhancements 215 Reproductive enhancements 219 Mental and cognitive enhancements 223 Neuroscience and human enhancement 226 Conclusion 230 14 The Geopolitics of Human Enhancement: Applying the ‘Multi- Sum Security Principle’ 231 The ‘multi- sum security principle’ 231 Human enhancement in the framework of the ‘multi- sum security principle’ 236 Moving beyond the ‘multi- sum security principle’: human enhancement as an existential threat 248 15 Criteria for a Regulatory Framework of Human Enhancement 252 The United Nations 252 The major technological players 253 Relevant agencies 254 What should be permissible? 256 Who should decide what is permissible? 261 16 Conclusions of Part II 263 General Conclusions 267 Notes 280 Index 340 "This is a fascinating account of the interplay of new technologies and national power. It goes beyond mechanistic estimates to explore social and political consequences of a world reshaped by technological change. The discussion of human enhancement through drugs or genetic manipulation is engrossing and raises new and difficult problems, both political and ethical, for what will soon be a very different world. The scope of the book, with its discussion of a full range of new technologies of consequences, makes it unique and insightful as a guide to one of the fundamental forces that will reshape international politics."--James Lewis, Director and Senior Fellow, Technology and Public Policy Program, Centre for Strategic and International Studies, United States 'This book takes a broad look at emerging technologies and their role in enabling humanity to further its evolution. Nayef Al-Rodhan comprehensively addresses the key trends of these strategic technologies and the highly relevant geopolitical and strategic implications. Within this framework, he highlights the need for setting transnational policies in place to ensure ubiquitous human dignity and the freedom to choose our own destiny. This study is a scientific and breathtaking voyage into the future that will enchant the reader and encourage society to meditate on our human nature and subsequent responsibilities.' - Giovanni De Micheli, Director of the Electrical Engineering Institute and Integrated Systems Centre at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL), Switzerland Front Matter....Pages i-ix General Introduction....Pages 1-11 Front Matter....Pages 13-13 Introduction....Pages 15-17 Information and Communications Technology (ICT)....Pages 18-46 Energy and Climate Change....Pages 47-72 Health Care....Pages 73-87 Biotechnology....Pages 88-105 Genomics....Pages 106-122 Nanotechnology....Pages 123-138 Materials Science....Pages 139-151 Artificial Intelligence....Pages 152-171 Conclusions of Part I....Pages 172-174 Front Matter....Pages 175-175 Introduction: Definitions, Terms and Concepts....Pages 177-193 Human Enhancement: The Nature of the Debate....Pages 194-207 The Science and Technology of Human Enhancement....Pages 208-223 The Geopolitics of Human Enhancement: Applying the ‘Multi-Sum Security Principle’....Pages 224-244 Criteria for a Regulatory Framework of Human Enhancement....Pages 245-255 Conclusions of Part II....Pages 256-259 General Conclusions....Pages 260-272 Back Matter....Pages 273-339 General Introduction PART I: EMERGING STRATEGIC TECHNOLOGIES - GEOPOLITICAL IMPLICATIONS Introduction Information and Communications Technology (ITC) Energy and Climate Change Health Care Biotechnology Nanotechnology Materials Science Artificial Intelligence Conclusions of Part I PART II: EMERGING STRATEGIC TECHNOLOGIES - HUMAN ENHANCEMENT, DIGNITY AND DESTINY IMPLICATIONS Introduction Human Enhancement: The Nature of the Debate The Science and Technology of Human Enhancement The Geopolitics of Human Enhancement: Applying the 'Multi-Sum Security Principle' Criteria for a Regulatory Framework on Human Enhancement Conclusions of Part II General Conclusions This work examines key trends in emerging strategic technologies and the implications for geopolitics and human dignity. Al-Rodhan argues that future evolution into transhumans is inevitable Electronic book text. - Epublication based on: 9780230290846, 2011