The US National Academy of Sciences endorses lack of scientific ethics and lack of business ethics

I am astonished to notice that the US National Academy of Sciences (NAS) has invited Dr. Robert Lanza, a vice president of the California-based Advanced Cell Technology (ACT), to make a presentation at a special meeting at the NAS, exploring the latest developments in embryonic stem cell science and policy.

So Lanza is leading scientist at a biotech firm that misled the world about a supposedly ethical method of obtaining embryonic stem cells. The story is available at several websites, including http://www.lifenews.com/bio1851.html
and at:
http://erlc.com/erlc/article/has-robert-lanza-solved-the-embryonic-stem-cell-research-dilemma
as well as at:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/5272648.stm

As far as I am aware, neither Lanza nor ACT have apologised for their earlier unethical behaviour. Nor have they announced any determination to avoid that kind of unethical behaviour in the future. In fact, both Lanza and ACT seem determined to continue with their attempt to mislead the world.

NAS's invitation therefore amounts to endorsement of such non-ethical behaviour.

Further, the NAS has a National Research Council which recently published its triennial review of the National Nano Initiative. The review was required by the lgeislation to cover Artificial Intelligence and the enhancement of human intelligence. Bizarrely, the review states that AI and the enhancement of human intelligence are the stuff of science fiction (a weirdly ignorant statement, to say the least). The review also avoids comment on broader ethical issues (merely stating that they are important and need to be addressed). In other words, the NAS's NRC review has produced zero comment on the ethical front, in spite of that being specified by the 2003 legislation.

The National Nano Initiative has, not surprisingly, largely ignored all the ethical issues.

Therefore, as far as I can see, scientists, businesspeople, legislators and politicians are all involved in producing non-ethical nanoscience and nanotech, which will end up unleashing nano-related crimes against humanity ... unless current attitudes and behaviour can be changed sometime soon. Sphere: Related Content