An urgent cause for philanthropy
Boston Globe
by Ralph Kaplan & Harvey Silverglate
07/22/06
American philanthropy, in the news lately due to huge donations to wealthy foundations devoted to worthy causes, is nonetheless missing a critical opportunity to turn the private sector's attention to the most urgent threat to human life. As the pace of scientific and technological developments continues to accelerate, the potential for enormous benefits is coupled with the potential for far more severe -- indeed, lethal -- costs. While eradicating disease, creating humanlike robots, and harnessing the uses of nanotechnology could all lessen human suffering, their development could also lead to our demise, something that the leaders of American philanthropy seem not to fully appreciate. The focus of American philanthropy should shift to reflect the severity of this threat...
http://tinyurl.com/m7qp5
Informant: Thomas L. Knapp
by Ralph Kaplan & Harvey Silverglate
07/22/06
American philanthropy, in the news lately due to huge donations to wealthy foundations devoted to worthy causes, is nonetheless missing a critical opportunity to turn the private sector's attention to the most urgent threat to human life. As the pace of scientific and technological developments continues to accelerate, the potential for enormous benefits is coupled with the potential for far more severe -- indeed, lethal -- costs. While eradicating disease, creating humanlike robots, and harnessing the uses of nanotechnology could all lessen human suffering, their development could also lead to our demise, something that the leaders of American philanthropy seem not to fully appreciate. The focus of American philanthropy should shift to reflect the severity of this threat...
http://tinyurl.com/m7qp5
Informant: Thomas L. Knapp
Starmail - 24. Jul, 16:03
