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Review of Nanocosm
The new book Nanocosm reports on exciting advances in nanotech but suffers from numerous technical inaccuracies and distortions of the work of nanotech pioneers.
Published on KurzweilAI.net June 6, 2003.
In Nanocosm (Viking Canada, 2003), William Atkinson has
an agenda. This self-described "professional rhetoretician"
(p. 134) has written a book on the emerging science of nanotechnology,
with special emphasis on debunking. The reader will learn many details
about science and nanoscience—and much of it will be wrong.
For example, Atkinson believes that in 10-15 years, "Maxwell
Demons" will be developed (p. 277), enabling "heating,
cooling, and material sorting, at zero energy cost." This is
of course perpetual motion. The error is not merely sophomoric;
it is glaring. Atkinson apparently believes this because someone
told him that Cool Chips (pp. 76-79) trap heat on one side. Maxwell's
Demon, in theory, does the same thing with no energy, and even Maxwell
knew that this implied perpetual motion. What makes Cool Chips work
is a constant stream of electrical power—a fact that Atkinson
seems to have missed in his excitement. If it traps heat, then ...
then ... it must be a Maxwell's Demon!
In addition to incomprehension of basic science, Atkinson does
not check his facts. He claims that gallium arsenide is "almost
universally found in microchips" (p. 193). In fact, gallium
arsenide is a niche competitor to silicon and has no place in most
microchips. The "fin" in FinFET transistors is not for
cooling, as he claims (p. 283). Any computer scientist could have
told him that his description of cellular automata (pp. 261-263)
is not only confusing, but wrong: neither cellular automata nor
cells are added to a running cellular automaton. He misspells "analyte"
as "analete" repeatedly—even in its glossary entry.
He gets brains wrong too: "Gray matter . . . takes care of
linear thought. White matter handles reflexes and intuition"
(p. 42). In fact, gray matter contains the chunky part of nerve
cells, and white matter contains the long skinny part of the same
cells.
So why did he write a book on subjects he doesn't adequately research,
in a field he apparently knows little about? Open the book to a
random place, and you'll probably find the word "Drex." Apparently
part of a professional rhetoretician's job is to make up childish
nicknames for people he wants to criticize. Drex, of course, is
Eric Drexler; "Merk" is Ralph Merkle. It's funny the first
time. The 20th or 30th time, it's simply tiresome. But this is the
purpose and focus of the book: debunking "Drex." Science,
accuracy, and honesty are apparently less important.
Atkinson's treatment of Drexler crosses the line between rhetoric
and intellectual dishonesty. He complains that Drexler's book Nanosystems
discusses cooling systems (p. 130). In the very next paragraph,
he asserts that Drexler believes that nanobots will produce no excess
heat. What are the cooling systems for, then? Likewise, he gives
a description of Drexler's "Stiff-Arm Nanomanipulator"
design (p. 127), ending with the complaint that the design makes
no concession to "the otherness of the nanocosm." But
the whole point of Drexler's design—as reflected in its name—is
that things must be built much stiffer at the nanocosm.
So the reader can't trust the book's basic science, or nanoscience,
or descriptions of molecular nanotechnology. Even the anti-Drexler
rhetoric is too heavy-handed to be useful. On page 131, under the
heading "The Church of St. Drex" (see what I mean?) he
refers to "the movement called Drexlerianism." Alas, that
word doesn't exist, at least not on Google's three billion web pages.
Atkinson seems to have made it up to support his assertion that
a "movement" even exists. He spends the next few pages
complaining that Ralph Merkle is a good speaker. He really, really
wants you to believe that there's nothing to Drexler's work but
hype. To make this point, he spends five pages (126-130) making
fun of Nanosystems—for being too technical." This
is too smart for you, so it must be bogus," he says, in essence.
"Move along, nothing to see here. Now let's laugh at 'Drex'
and his 'movement' some more." </p>
<p>Atkinson's technical criticisms of Drexler's work are often demonstrably
wrong, and the rest are questionable at best. Many of his criticisms
are supported only by his own authority: for example, "staggeringly
complicated—unworkably so, in my opinion" (p. 255). This
particular criticism rests on the claim that <a href="javascript:loadBrain('Nanobot')" onMouseOver="playBrain('Nanobot')" onMouseOut="stopBrain()" class="thought">nanobot</a>s would have
to respond to picosecond events—which shows a <a href="javascript:loadBrain('BASIC')" onMouseOver="playBrain('BASIC')" onMouseOut="stopBrain()" class="thought">basic</a> misunderstanding
of Drexler's work. Drexler's designs control the conditions so that
they do not ever have to respond to rapid events. This leads to
Atkinson's next criticism: that Drexler's designs require the complete
subjugation of the natural world, and so can't work in practice.
On page 256, he claims that "Drexlerians" refuse to consider
using chemicals to pass messages between <a href="javascript:loadBrain('Nanobot')" onMouseOver="playBrain('Nanobot')" onMouseOut="stopBrain()" class="thought">nanobot</a>s because "wet
<a href="javascript:loadBrain('Nanotech')" onMouseOver="playBrain('Nanotech')" onMouseOut="stopBrain()" class="thought">nanotech</a>" is "anathema" to them. This is untrue.
<i><a href="javascript:loadBrain('Nanomedicine')" onMouseOver="playBrain('Nanomedicine')" onMouseOut="stopBrain()" class="thought">Nanomedicine</a></i>, a thoroughly "Drexlerian" book, considers
exactly that possibility in section 7.2.1.1: "<a href="http://www.nanomedicine.com/NMI/7.2.1.1.htm" target="_blank">Ideal
Messenger Molecule</a>." </p>
<p>Later on that page, Atkinson gives an absurd description of molecular
manufacturing: a vision of humans who "think themselves <a href="javascript:loadBrain('Atom')" onMouseOver="playBrain('Atom')" onMouseOut="stopBrain()" class="thought">atom</a>-sized"
in "control booths." Then he describes more advanced designs.
It seems that nanoassemblers "would themselves choose how,
where, and when to work." With onboard <a href="javascript:loadBrain('Memory')" onMouseOver="playBrain('Memory')" onMouseOut="stopBrain()" class="thought">memory</a> and planning,
"The nanoassemblers would then, by any definition, be a <a href="javascript:loadBrain('Species')" onMouseOver="playBrain('Species')" onMouseOut="stopBrain()" class="thought">species</a>
of living <a href="javascript:loadBrain('Individual')" onMouseOver="playBrain('Individual')" onMouseOut="stopBrain()" class="thought">individual</a>s." No <a href="javascript:loadBrain('Nanotechnology')" onMouseOver="playBrain('Nanotechnology')" onMouseOut="stopBrain()" class="thought">nanotechnology</a> expert claims that
nanoassemblers, with or without <a href="javascript:loadBrain('Memory')" onMouseOver="playBrain('Memory')" onMouseOut="stopBrain()" class="thought">memory</a>, would be alive—that
stretches <a href="javascript:loadBrain('Logic')" onMouseOver="playBrain('Logic')" onMouseOut="stopBrain()" class="thought">logic</a> far past the breaking point. It's hard to tell whether
Atkinson is making this claim, or attributing it to Drexler. Either
way, Atkinson's statement is incorrect.</p>
<p>A few of Atkinson's criticisms deserve an answer. On page 9, Atkinson
claims," to Drexlerian <a href="javascript:loadBrain('Engine')" onMouseOver="playBrain('Engine')" onMouseOut="stopBrain()" class="thought">engine</a>ering, <a href="javascript:loadBrain('Carbon')" onMouseOver="playBrain('Carbon')" onMouseOut="stopBrain()" class="thought">carbon</a> is a disaster. The
instant a nanomanipulator arm touched <a href="javascript:loadBrain('Carbon')" onMouseOver="playBrain('Carbon')" onMouseOut="stopBrain()" class="thought">carbon</a>, it would become as
immobilized. . ." Many of Drexler's proposals involve the
manipulation of <a href="javascript:loadBrain('Carbon')" onMouseOver="playBrain('Carbon')" onMouseOut="stopBrain()" class="thought">carbon</a>, so it is simply untrue that "carbon
is a disaster" in "Drexlerian" <a href="javascript:loadBrain('Engine')" onMouseOver="playBrain('Engine')" onMouseOut="stopBrain()" class="thought">engine</a>ering. But would
the arm actually become immobilized? The <a href="javascript:loadBrain('Science')" onMouseOver="playBrain('Science')" onMouseOut="stopBrain()" class="thought">science</a> is new, and a
little skepticism toward molecular manipulation may be appropriate.
But it's worth noting that a few weeks ago, scientists in Japan
used a nanomanipulator arm (an atomic force microscope) to remove
an <a href="javascript:loadBrain('Atom')" onMouseOver="playBrain('Atom')" onMouseOut="stopBrain()" class="thought">atom</a> from a sticky, covalent <a href="javascript:loadBrain('Silicon')" onMouseOver="playBrain('Silicon')" onMouseOut="stopBrain()" class="thought">silicon</a> surface—and then put
it back—and then scan the surface to verify their work. </p>
<p>But many of Atkinson's attacks on Drexler's work are simply not
worth answering. On page 33, he makes the false claim, "Now,
according to Eric Drexler and his ilk, <a href="javascript:loadBrain('Nanotechnology')" onMouseOver="playBrain('Nanotechnology')" onMouseOut="stopBrain()" class="thought">nanotechnology</a> will make
us omnipotent." On page 69, he compares "Drexlerian"
work to "belt sanders and escalators at the atomic level,"
and then to "a <a href="javascript:loadBrain('Time')" onMouseOver="playBrain('Time')" onMouseOut="stopBrain()" class="thought">time</a> <a href="javascript:loadBrain('Machine')" onMouseOver="playBrain('Machine')" onMouseOut="stopBrain()" class="thought">machine</a> out of tin cans and Plasticine." It
gets worse. Page 145: "K. Eric Drex/The man who dispensed with
<a href="javascript:loadBrain('Reality')" onMouseOver="playBrain('Reality')" onMouseOut="stopBrain()" class="thought">reality</a> checks." </p>
<p>I am reminded of a saying of Mahatma Gandhi: "First they ignore
you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win." Atkinson
is trying to fight, but most of his attacks are little more than
mean-<a href="javascript:loadBrain('Spirit')" onMouseOver="playBrain('Spirit')" onMouseOut="stopBrain()" class="thought">spirit</a>ed mockery. The strongest attack he can muster is a reference
to <a href="http://www.ruf.rice.edu/%7Esmalleyg/rick%27s%20publications/SA285-76.pdf" target="_blank">Smalley's
criticism of Drexler in <i>Scientific American</i></a>. Unfortunately
for his case, this has been thoroughly answered in "<a href="http://www.imm.org/SciAmDebate2/" target="_blank">A
Debate About Assemblers</a>" and "<a href="/meme/frame.html?main=/articles/art0560.html" target="_top">An
Open Letter to Richard Smalley</a>" by <a href="javascript:loadBrain('Drexler, K. Eric')" onMouseOver="playBrain('Drexler, K. Eric')" onMouseOut="stopBrain()" class="thought">K. Eric Drexler</a>. </p>
<p>To be fair, Atkinson spends a lot of the book reporting genuinely
exciting advances in <a href="javascript:loadBrain('Nanotech')" onMouseOver="playBrain('Nanotech')" onMouseOut="stopBrain()" class="thought">nanotech</a>. If it were not for the scientific
and technical errors scattered liberally through the book, I might
recommend that people ignore the Drexler-bashing and read the book
for the <a href="javascript:loadBrain('Nanotech')" onMouseOver="playBrain('Nanotech')" onMouseOut="stopBrain()" class="thought">nanotech</a> news. Anyway, better sources of <a href="javascript:loadBrain('Nanotech')" onMouseOver="playBrain('Nanotech')" onMouseOut="stopBrain()" class="thought">nanotech</a> news can
be found online for free: for example, <a href="http://www.cientifica.info/html/TNT/tnt_archive.htm" target="_blank">TNT
Weekly</a> or <a href="http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nanogirlnews" target="_blank">Nanogirl
News</a>. </p>
<p>A nonfiction technical book should be accurate. As Atkinson states
in the Preface, one of his goals is to give the <a href="javascript:loadBrain('Venture Capital')" onMouseOver="playBrain('Venture Capital')" onMouseOut="stopBrain()" class="thought">venture capital</a>ist
"a thorough briefing in the <a href="javascript:loadBrain('Science')" onMouseOver="playBrain('Science')" onMouseOut="stopBrain()" class="thought">science</a> and <a href="javascript:loadBrain('Technology')" onMouseOver="playBrain('Technology')" onMouseOut="stopBrain()" class="thought">technology</a> emerging
from the nanocosm." Unfortunately, his <a href="javascript:loadBrain('Science')" onMouseOver="playBrain('Science')" onMouseOut="stopBrain()" class="thought">science</a> and <a href="javascript:loadBrain('Technology')" onMouseOver="playBrain('Technology')" onMouseOut="stopBrain()" class="thought">technology</a>
explanations are too inaccurate to be useful; readers will come
away badly misinformed. </p>
<p><i>© 2003 <a href="http://www.xenophilia.org/" target="_blank">Chris
Phoenix</a></i></p>
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<td bgcolor=#CCCCCC><p>Cosmos & Image<br><span class="mindxheader"><i>posted on 06/09/2003 1:25 PM by <a href="/mindx/profile.php?id=397">arti_nanp</a></i></span></td>
<td bgcolor=#CCCCCC align="right" valign="top"><span class="mindxheader">[<a href="#discussion">Top</a>]<br>[<a href="/mindx/frame.html?main=show_thread.php?rootID%3D17710%23id17711" target="_top">Mind·X</a>]<br>[<a href="/mindx/frame.html?main=post.php?reply%3D17711" target="_top">Reply to this post</a>]</span></td>
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<td bgcolor=#DDDDDD colspan="4"><p>In project "Artificial intelligence and nanotechnology in Context of Russian Idea" was developed gallery of nanocosm, fulltextdatabase of mind visualisation, and prepare to investigate "Geometry of Mind".
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What is Top of representation of Nanocosmos?
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<td bgcolor=#CCCCCC><p>Discussion on Nanodot<br><span class="mindxheader"><i>posted on 06/10/2003 5:12 AM by <a href="/mindx/profile.php?id=402">amaraa</a></i></span></td>
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<td bgcolor=#DDDDDD colspan="4"><p>There's an interesting discussion on this review at Foresight Institute's Nanodot site, <a href="http://nanodot.org/article.pl?sid=03/06/07/0217240" target="_blank">http://nanodot.org/article.pl?sid=03/06/07/0217240 <!--SPACE-INSERTED--> </a></p></td>
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