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TECHNOLOGY AND THE ENHANCEMENT OF MAN


INTRODUCTION


	This is a book about what new technology should be developed in
the next few decades.  Everything proposed is believed to be feasible on
the basis of present scientific knowledge.
There are two approaches: one based of problems needing solution and
the other based on noticing technological opprtunities.  We will follow
both approaches.  An approach based on needs often leads to wishful
thinking or despair about unsolvable problems, and a purely technological
approach often wanders off into irrelevance.

	We shall begin with the goals new technology should be directed to
achieving:

	1. Obviously the minimal goal is human survival, and we shall devote
some attention to meeting threats to survival.  However, in my opinion,
humanity will survive even if it doesn't pay much attention to my advice, and
I think there is plenty of technological resources left over for other
goals.

	2. The second goal is prosperity.  By this is meant the extension
of benefits already enjoyed by part of the population to people who don't
now have them.
This requires increased production and also new technology in areas in which
present facilities enjoyed by some depend on the labor of others to an
extent incompatible with the latter enjoying the facilities.  Any facility
that depends on servants is an obvious example, but there are others.

	3. The main theme of this book is new facilities not now enjoyed
by anyone, and most of what will be discussed comes under the heading
of the enhancement of human capabilities and potentialities.  Here are some
examples:

	a. To the extent that we can automate routine activities, we can
make it possible for an individual or a small group to make something -
a car, a building, an airplane, or a computer - that presently requires
a large organization.  The larger the organization required to do something,
the more getting it done requires money or politics or both.

	b. To the extent that relevant information can be made universally
available, people can form their own opinions about policies.   If all
information on which the government or other large organizations is in
computer files and if not too much of the information is allowed to be
kept secret, then anyone can second guess these organizations.

	c. If the reasoning behind policy making is made objective, then
anyone can find flaws in it and suggest improvements.

	d.