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THE NATURAL AMBIGUITY OF THE NOTION OF ‘NATURAL’, AND HOW TO OVERCOME IT

Dorato, Mauro (2012) THE NATURAL AMBIGUITY OF THE NOTION OF ‘NATURAL’, AND HOW TO OVERCOME IT. [Preprint]

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    Abstract

    In this paper I will explore the ramification of the distinction between fact and values in order to show that human values enter in various ways in both science and (nano)technologies without violating Hume’s fact/value distinction. Among the nanotechnologies, I will discuss the case study provided by the use of microchips implanted under our skin: though they do not obviously overcome the limits of the natural laws (intended in the descriptive sense), their application might in principle jeopardize our ethical principles in a way that is more powerful than previously existing ‘macrotechnology’. This greater power depends on the fact that the properties of the macroworld depend on the ‘nanoworld’, but not conversely.

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    Item Type: Preprint
    Keywords: fact, value, adaptation, microchip, natural laws, natural.
    Subjects: Specific Sciences > Biology > Evolutionary Psychology
    General Issues > Ethical Issues
    General Issues > Technology
    General Issues > Values In Science
    Depositing User: Mauro Dorato
    Date Deposited: 15 Oct 2012 09:11
    Last Modified: 15 Oct 2012 09:11
    Item ID: 9365
    URI: http://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/9365

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