Negotiating Plausibility: Intervening in the Future of Nanotechnology

摘要: The national-level scenarios project NanoFutures focuses on the social, political, economic, and ethical implications of nanotechnology, is initiated by Center for Nanotechnology in Society at Arizona State University (CNS-ASU). involves novel methods development plausible visions nanotechnology-enabled futures, elucidates public preferences various alternatives, and, using such preferences, helps refine future research outreach. In doing so, aims to address a central question: how deliberate social an emergent technology whose outcomes are not known. solution pursued twofold. First, limits speculation about visions. This ambition introduces host concerns prediction, nature plausibility, establish plausibility. Second, it subjects these democratic assessment range stakeholders, thus raising methodological questions as who relevant stakeholders activate different communities so engage far future. article makes dilemmas posed decisions issues transparent therefore articulates role plausibility anticipatory governance.