Religion Affects Americans’ Views of Nanotechnology

[ZombieHorde]

(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- In a study conducted by Arizona State University, only 29.5 percent of the respondents thought nanotechnology was morally acceptable. That compares to 54.1 percent in the United Kingdom, 62.7 percent in Germany and 72.1 percent in France.

Nanotechnology is a branch of science that focuses on developing, designing and producing materials, structures, devices and circuits at the smallest possible scale. There are dozens of products that make use of this kind of technology already on the market.

Dietram Scheufele, Ph.D., professor of life sciences communication at University of Wisconsin-Madison presented the information at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science held in Madison, Wis., on Feb. 15, 2008. Dr. Scheufele who conducted the survey with colleague Elizabeth Corley, thinks the core of the difference between Americans and European attitudes is religion. “The United States is a country where religion plays an important role in peoples’ lives. The importance or religion in these different countries that shows up in data set after data set parallels exactly the differences we’re seeing in terms of moral views. European countries have a much more secular perspective,” Dr. Scheufele was quoted as saying.

Dr. Scheufele believes that Americans with strong religious convictions lump nanotechnology, biotechnology and stem cell research together as a means to enhance human qualities which to them is viewed as “playing God”. He also says these moral qualms are not rooted in a lack of understanding. The respondents were well informed about nanotechnology and its potential benefits.

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http://www.ivanhoe.com/channels/p_channelstory.cfm?storyid=18142

I thought that everyone loved nanotechnology. Everything good is bad for some people.

[lapfog_1]

1. Much simpler explanation.

29.5 percent of respondents don't have a freakin clue as to what nanotechnology IS.

14.25 percent think it has something to do with "Mork and Mindy".

[bananas]

5. "The respondents were well informed about nanotechnology and its potential benefits." nt

[lapfog_1]

7. So... I guess they don't like their micro fiber

mops and towels and that suede couch they put their stupid asses on every night.

Nanotech has found great acceptance ALREADY in the fiber materials market.

How stupid ARE these people?

[eShirl]

2. WTF? 70% of ASU students think nanotechnology is morally unacceptable?

I don't get it, I just don't get it.

"That's what I like: little things, hitting each other!"
(Napoleon in Time Bandits)

[Duppers]

10. conducted 'by' not 'at' ASU.

nt

[varkam]

3. If God didn't want us to think...

then he wouldn't of given us a frontal lobe.

[bananas]

6. So let's use our frontal lobes - GM crops are much more accepted in the U.S. than Europe

so this generalization seems to go beyond the data and is unscientific
(unless he actually presented data in that regard - which doesn't seem to be indicated by this article).
I've known enough religious fundamentalists who are educated, pro-science,
right-wing, conservative, republican, pro-GM crops, pro-nuclear energy,
pro-nanotech, pro-oil drilling everywhere, pro-smog, etc.
They believe we have been given dominion over the earth, and they intend to use it.
They aren't anti-science at all, they especially love all the high-tech weapons we have.
Oddly enough, a lot of them also look forward to people getting chipped,
because that brings the battle of Armegeddon much closer.
Their only moral concerns are over fetuses.

[Nihil]

9. Danger! Danger! Alert! Alert!

I agree with Bananas so there is obviously some major twist occurring
in space-time as we know it!

:wow: :applause:

[TZ]

11. Evolution and ID?

Not all of the anti-science bias in this country is relgious based..But there is more than its fair share. Lets not forget that "religous bias" doesn't merely include Christian fundamentalim. Jehovah's witness think that blood transfusions are evil, and for pity's sake the Luddite view that I come accross here on DU is certainly dogmatic enough to qualify as a religion.

[bananas]

4. Maybe this belongs in the religion forum

because based on this article,
he isn't presenting any scientific evidence that religion is the reason,
he is only stating his own personal "belief".

[Phoonzang]

8. So I guess none of these people have

purchased a computer in the last few years. I mean it would be immoral to do so.

[nickinSTL]

12. WTF? How is nanotechnology immoral?

I get stem cell research (don't agree in the least, but I understand the religious objection) but I can't remotely wrap my head around how nanotechnology is immoral.

I suspect that these people are of the same ilk that would have believed that saying the earth was round and revolved around the sun was heresy.

[DireStrike]

13. I don't necessarily "love" nanotech

It can be really scary. Imagine the godlike weapons that could be built.

..or better yet, don't.