Alternative Models for Managing Self-Replicating Nanotechnology

Ray Kurzweil Responds
I think that ultimately we will need self-replication for an ironic reason, which is to guard against pathological self-replication. We have debated this, and I think it is actually the crucial issue. In the early stages, probably a non-self-replicating nanotech immune system will work, but ultimately I think you will need self-replication for the same reason biology discovered that through evolution: that you need self-replication. You are not going to be able to get defenders everywhere they need to be in time. Because that is ultimately possible, we are going to have to develop a nanotech immune system that will be able to self-replicate. And that's a disaster scenario for which we need to be prepared.

And then there's a further irony in it: from a software pathogen, you could turn this nanotech immune system into a self-destroyer. This is all the more reason to have a geoethical organization that can deal with this subtlety because whether the whole thing is, whether your immune system is friendly or not, and you can develop an autoimmune disorder is of profound importance. This is a subtle distinction with catastrophic implications.

I like this proposal. We need to develop some kind of organization that has the wisdom to develop these solutions, because there are going to be subtle differences between protection, defense, and offense. We want the development of an immune system to be in responsible hands.

Martine Rothblatt started the satellite vehicle tracking and satellite radio industries and is the Chairman of United Therapeutics, a biotechnology company.