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A Critique of Micheal Crichton's Best Selling Novel, PREY
by: Mark Gaffney
Critque of Micheal Crichton's best selling novel Prey. PREY: A Great Novel to Counter Act the Zealous Oversell of Potential Benefits of Nanotechnology and Introduce A Realistic Appreciation for Potential Risk Associated with Develop and Implementation of Nanotechnology on a Grand Social Plateau. The release of the new best selling Michael Crichton novel PREY is a sign of the times marking the clash of powerful memetic currents flowing in a society characterized by tremendous socioeconomic change and transition. The new Michael Crichton novel, PREY, is a great novel to counter-act the zealous oversell of potential benefits of nanotechnology and introduce a realistic appreciation for potential risk associated with development and implementation of nanotechnology on a grand social plateau. During recent years I have personally explored the possibility of starting a new Not-for-Profit Foundation that may highlight and accentuate the potential of nanotechnology and artificial intelligence to drastically improve and economically transform the global economy. Inspired by the classic movie, It's a Wonderful Life, produced by Frank Capra, I entitled my new Not-for-Profit Foundation, Wonderful Life Foundation. One of the major goals of Wonderful Life Foundation is to help ordinary average working class families survive, sustain, and keep pace with rapid scientific progress by fund raising capital to offer as many families as possible an unprecedented 3 percent fixed 30 year term mortgage on new construction homes. It will not be necessary to be poor to qualify unlike other home assistance programs. As founder of this new Not-for-Profit, I am currently tinkering with the idea of offering 0 percent fixed 15 and 30-year term mortgage on older homes. Currently, Wonderful Life Foundation is merely a meme or idea. Wonderful Life Foundation is in the very early stage of organizational development. I may never be successful in getting this idea off the ground. The meme for Wonderful Life Foundation began with the original Frank Capra Hollywood Box Office classic, It's a Wonderful Life, starring Jimmy Stewart. As founder of Wonderful Life Foundation, I sometimes speculate that the meme included in the original It's A Wonderful Life motion picture classic has a Divine purpose. My idea for a new Not-for-Profit Foundation memetically clashes with the memetic content contained within the new Michael Crichton novel PREY. As a nano-enthusiast, I cling to high hope nanotechnology and artificial intelligence may drastically transform the global economy for the better and improve the human condition. The new Michael Crichton novel, PREY, is focused on potential negative consequences of scientific progress leading toward full molecular assembler based nanotechnology. The new Michael Crichton novel highlights and accentuates social risk and danger inherent in scientific progress toward full assembler based nanotechnology. Despite the memetic clash between memes associated with the organizational structure of Wonderful Life Foundation and memes included in the new Michael Crichton bestseller,PREY, the new Michael Crichton novel is a valuable complementary view. The complementary view included in the Michael Crichton best selling novel, PREY, serves a valuable memetic function of helping to insure environmental regulations designed to protect the public are not side stepped in an effort to cut cost, save scientific research dollars, and win a corporate race toward legal patent of full assembler based nanotechnology. My idea for a new Not-for-Profit organization is dubbed Wonderful Life Foundation. It would not be too wonderful to be eaten alive by an accidental release of nanotechnology industrial pollution possessing distributed intelligence made possible by in-built molecular computers. Also, I don't think anyone on earth would want to become a remote controlled robot. Ho, Ho, Ho A Classic Case of Oversell of Potential Benefits of Nanotechnology A classic example of oversell of potential benefits of nanotechnology and artificial intelligence is a feature article I wrote entitled, Did God Anticipate Time Travel: Why a 43 Year Old Man Still Believes in Santa Clause. In this Feature article I pondered God's reasoning for placing a Cherubim at the Gates of the Garden of Eden. According to Ancient Scripture, God placed a Cherubim with a flaming sword at the Gates of the Garden of Eden to prevent reentry into the Garden of Eden. In the feature article entitled, Did God Anticipate Time Travel: Why a 43 Year Old Man Still Believes in Santa Clause, I theorize the Gates of the Garden of Eden exist in time milliseconds before the Big Bang Origination point of the natural universe. In the text of the feature article, I also put forth the conjecture that future human civilization may eventually be capable of time travel by sending an utility fog ( Nanoparticle Swarm ) space probe through a black hole in space. A black hole is a dying star projecting a powerful energy field capable of warping the very physical fabric of the universe, including time. I do not believe anyone could fault a person for trying to develop a closer relationship to the Creator of the natural universe we live in by contemplating reasoning, logic, and decision making associated with the Divine nature of God. Sacred scripture states no one can enter the Kingdom of God unless he becomes like a child. Of course, no earthy person has seen God face to face, so all I have is conjecture derived from reflection and meditation after reading scripture text. I am not a saint, but I am a very reflective, meditative, introspective person. Some people may exclaim, butt is the key word to effectively parse and diagram sentence structure to derive meaning of the last sentence. William James, the founder of modern Psychology, used the technique of introspection to establish cognitive science. Words can be either the epitome of meaningfulness or a source of enormous deception on an unprecedented scale. Sometimes, words that pop out the human mind from nowhere do not seem to be organic in origin. I believe a window is open to receive messages from heaven, and the spiritual realm of reality beyond, anytime a person is engaged in a creative endeavor and concertedly applies his or her human sensory faculties to creativity. I believe this may be the reason Karl Marx became obsessed with the process of alienation of the common worker from the final products of production as workers became absorbed in the mechanical act of assembly manufacturing task. Creativity may be considered a form of prayerful reflective meditation. Creativity may produce theological assertions that may run counter to dogma of established church organizations. An initial apparent conflict may actually be a complementary view. Utility fog and Nanoparticle swarm are terms that refer to a projection of very real actual physical forces by molecular machines. Utility fog and Nanoparticle swarm are concepts of future designs of engineering that may produce real world virtual reality. The term Utility Fog has more optimistic connotations than the term Nanoparticle swarm. The term Utility Fog emphasizes tremendous benefits of extremely flexible functionality of molecular machines designed and engineered with ability to project very real molecular forces. The term Nanoparticle swarm contains more negative connotations, especially after the release of the great best selling novel, PREY, written by famed author Michael Crichton. The term Nanoparticle swarm concentrates upon ability of molecular machines, possessing in-built molecular computational systems, to communicate with each other. The term Nanoparticle swarm metaphorically emphasizes ability of molecular machines to communicate with each other. The metaphorical comparison incorporated in the term Nanoparticle swarm is related to how insects, such as a bee or ant, communicate with each other as members of a hive or colony of insects. The new emerging field of nanotechnology involves a convergence of scientific fields of study historically unrelated to each other. Nanotechnology research and development involves an overlap of scientific knowledge derived from physics, chemistry, biology, computer and information science, software engineering, etc. In the new best selling Michael Crichton novel, PREY, Michael Crichton does an excellent job educating the public about biological processes such as co-evolution and symbiosis. As I make observations of my own internal cognitive processes, I wonder about the motivating force behind my choice of using the term Nano-swarm, instead of the more optimistic term Utility Fog, within the text of my feature article entitled, Did God Anticipate Time Travel: Why a 43 Year Old Man Still Believes in Santa Clause. I remember feeling uneasy about using the term Nano-Swarm as I wrote the article. I simply could not recall the more optimistic term Utility fog when I wrote my feature article. I now consider it a very fortunate accident to have used the term Nano-swarm, instead of the more optimistic term Utility Fog, within content of an over zealous optimistic feature article about potential future benefits of nanotechnology research and development. My use of the word Nano-swarm in my feature article allowed me to wisely allude to potential danger and social risk presented by scientific research and development of nanotechnology and artificial intelligence. Does God answer prayer? Does God put words and thoughts in our mind? Can God guide scientific progress to have a positive impact upon human civilization? It is fascinating to introspectively make cognitive observations about mental events and word associations during the process of engaging in creative endeavors. In the feature article that I wrote entitled, Did God Anticipate Time Travel: Why a 43 Year Old Man Still Believes in Santa Claus, I speculate within the article that the modern day myth of a plump white bearded old man named Santa Claus who flies a sleigh through the air with help of a team of tiny flying reindeer may have originated from actual sightings of nanotechology powered Utility Fog Nanoparticle Swarm space probe vehicle sent by a future generation back through time as a test. Bookmark this page now and click here to read the Wonderful Life Foundation Feature article entitled, Did God Anticipate Discovery of Time Travel? Thinking Of Angels, Cherubim, and Ole Saint Nick: Why I, a 43 Year Old Man, Still Believe in Santa Clause! Historically, the modern day myth of Santa Claus is derived from the life of a very generous giving loving elderly white bearded monk, known today as Saint Nicholas. However, there exist a big evolutionary memetic jump from the historical Saint Nicholas to the modern day myth of Santa Clause dressed in a red suit flying around the world in a sleigh with the help of tiny reindeer delivering toys to children on Christmas eve. It is fascinating to contemplate why God may have allowed the memetic evolution of the modern day myth of Santa Claus. Many religions make a special point to educate the public about the pagan origins of the modern day myth of Santa Claus. Text of sacred scripture, indicates that God can bring good out of evil. It cannot be denied that modern day myth of Santa Clause represents symbolic expression of a self sacrificial giving spirit characterized by love and generosity. I wonder if God may have allowed the memetic evolution of the modern day myth of Santa Claus to introduce dissonance into the system. The truth of the matter is humans tend to ascribe too much meaning to events. We tend to take ourselves too seriously. We live in an existential world devoid of meaning to a large degree, and govern by natural physical law. The act of ascribing too much meaning to events can lead a person to become too judgmental. A person who becomes too judgmental risk equating him or herself with God. A person crosses the fence to the other side when he or she equates him or herself with God. In the book, The Physics of Immortality: Modern Cosmology, God and the Resurrection of the Dead , written by renown physicist Dr. Frank Tipler, Dr. Tipler provides a discussion of the concept of evil. Dr. Tipler dismiss evil as a fictitious concept created by the human mind. The rationale for Dr. Tipler's view is (1) we are living in an existential world devoid of meaning, (2) the physical universe is govern by physical law, and (3) humans tend to cogitatively ascribe too much meaningfulness to events. Dr. Tipler may be right to some degree, however to a large measure I part company with Dr. Frank Tipler's viewpoint upon the reality of evil. Personally, I believe it is foolish to deny the existence of evil in the world. Personally, I believe evidence for the reality of evil in the world is overwhelming and insurmountable. Personally, I believe evil associated with deliberate and intentional abuse of nanotechnology and artificial intelligence is a greater danger than unintentional industrial accidents that may lead to creation of a run away out of control Nanoparticle swarm as described within Michael Crichton's new best selling novel, PREY. I believe a clear and present danger exist that nanotechnology and artificial intelligence may enable a relentless and ruthless dictatorship to diabolically try to transform people into remote control robots. Dynamic manifestation and operation of the complementary and divergent viewpoint of Dr. Frank Tipler and myself pertaining to the topic of evil in the world is clearly illustrated in the bitter debate and controversy surrounding the issue of Capital Punishment. It is easy for a conscientious person searching for truth to wake up and discover him or herself on the wrong side of the fence when he or she starts to waddle in the muddle of the Capital Punishment issue. An equal number of strong valid arguments allows one to build a case for and against Capital Punishment. Recently, Santa Claus came to death role inmates in the state of Illinois. Recent mass media press releases announced that Governor George Ryan, Governor of the great state of Illinois, has commuted death sentence of all death role inmates to life in prison for all inmates on death role. Personally, I fluctuate back and forth between extremes of pro death penalty supporter and con opposition to the death penalty. I believe if a person has committed rape, murder, and certain forms of child abuse their only hope for salvation and redemption in the afterlife is to want the death penalty and actively seek justice by Capital Punishment. I believe once a person has committed rape, murder, and certain forms of child abuse they have crossed a line and are forever spiritually ruined unless the ultimate price is paid. In the book, The Physics of Immortality: Modern Cosmology, God and the Resurrection of the Dead , Dr. Frank Tipler describes how the Omega Point will expend vast amounts of energy in an effort to try to fix spiritual and moral flaws in resurrected human creatures. Personally, I believe once a person has crossed the line to commit brutal crimes such as rape, murder, and certain forms of child abuse no amount of energy expended on earth or in the afterlife will be capable of rehabilitation or redemption of the guilty person. The Omega Point may try to redeem the fallen criminal for a billion years in eternity. The billion years in eternity may only be a millisecond on earth. The person has become psychologically and spiritually incapable of receiving the gift of salvation once he or she crosses the line to commit a brutal crime such as murder, rape, and certain forms of child abuse. I believe if a person is guilty of committing brutal crimes such as rape, murder, and certain forms of child abuse that person is condemned for eternity to continuously relive that crime, except the victim will not be there. The guilty criminal who harbors deep anger and hatred and is susceptible to an enormous amount of self-deception may not realize he or she no longer has a victim. And, at the end of time when the physical universe closes there will be nothing but agony and intense heat. In a existential cold hearted, hostile, mean spirited world devoid of love and compassion to a large degree, every form of psychopathic behavior imaginable can be justified with excuses and rationalization. Salvation may be defined as getting through life without killing somebody. It may be sinful and cruel for society to allow a person guilty of rape, murder, and certain forms of child abuse to remain alive in a wretched ruined spiritual state that allows them as individuals to continually and forever rationalize and justify the crime they committed with excuse after excuse. The only way a person guilty of rape, murder, and certain forms of child abuse may be able to come to terms with the reality of the crime they have committed is to face death. The major problems with this line of thinking pertaining to the death penalty is that society is put in the position of facilitating suicidal impulses of death role inmates. Science has demonstrated that people who have mild forms of mental illness, such as depression, may have abnormal brain shape and morphology. An abnormal brain shape and morphology may lead to an organic deterioration and degeneration of cellular brain mass and tissue. Is it right to impose the death penalty upon people who have performed criminal behavior that may be caused by underlying physiological organic medical conditions? Dr. Frank Tipler believes that so-called “evil behavior” is a consequence of complex interactions between physiological, psychological, sociological, and socioeconomic variables. As one begins to waddle in the muddle of the Capital Punishment issue one learns to appreciatiate the value of placing more emphasis on the existential nature of the physical universe and de-emphisizing the role of evil. It is easy to see how a conscientious person can suddenly wake up and find him or herself on the wrong side of the fence. Dr. Frank Tipler’s Omega Point Theory is a valuable religious perspective because Omega Point Theory asserts physical continuity between life on earth and life within the next realm of physical existence. An emphasis upon physical continuity between life on earth and life within the next realm of physical existence puts more pressure upon an individual to respect life on earth by practicing love for one’s neighbor. Omega Point Theory can help a person realize that he or she plays a vital role on earth. If people become more conscious of the vital role they as individuals play on earth then human civilization may be able to prevent nanotechnology abuse as well as industrial accidents as described in the new Michael Crichton best selling novel, PREY Many traditional religious views incorporate the memetic concept of discontinuity and a disconnection between life on earth and life after death. Discontinuity and disconnection between life on earth and life after death may generate extreme determinism contributing to an attitude “nothing matters on earth” and everything is hopeless. The attitude “nothing matters on earth” may allow society to sacrifice a few innocent death role inmates to appease our appetite for revenge. I believe people who are capable of committing brutal crimes such as rape, murder, and certain forms of child abuse are nothing more than floating organic garbage who deserve the death penalty. Ironically, many psychopaths who commit such horrific crimes are highly intelligent people, with a near genius I.Q., who are trying to make a powerful profound existential statement about how meaningless life is on earth. Many psychopaths who commit such horrific crimes are selfishly playing a demented role playing game to establish their own unique identity in a world devoid of meaningfulness. Many of the psychopaths may get their jollies from witnessing pain and suffering displayed in the courtroom. The natural universe may be existential in nature, but that fact does not justify horrific crimes. If society fails to execute perfect justice than society participates vicariously in the crimes committed by condoning and facilitating such vile crimes. A violent society that participates vicariously in horrific crimes risk becoming a co-dependent society. A violent co-dependent society may be consumed by extreme vile hatred and anger. The only way to prevent society from becoming a co-dependent society is to exact perfect justice by Capital Punishment. On the other hand, if one innocent person is unjustly executed, than society is transformed into a monstrous murderous machine. In order to impress upon people the serious nature of delivering perfect justice, perhaps a law should be passed that if an innocent person is wrongfully convicted than Judges, prosecuting attorneys , Jury members, key witnesses, and lawmakers who have enacted laws perpetuating a flawed system, can receive the same sentence as the falsely accused person. Powerful political factions wielding great wealth may use the poor as foot soldiers and triggermen to commit crimes and do the dirty work that powerful elite members of society do not want to do. It maybe a miscarriage of justice and an indictment of society for wealthy powerful people who aid and abet brutal crimes to go unpunished. I believe at the end of time there will no longer be any place to run or hide. In the book, The Physics of Immortality: Modern Cosmology, God and the Resurrection of the Dead written by Dr. Frank Tipler, Dr. Tipler clearly states his conviction that he believe only in the Omega Point. Personally, I believe in the Alpha and the Omega. I want to cling to hope for the future of mankind. I want to believe God has the power to guide evolution of mankind to the very end of time occurring at the close of the natural physical universe. I want to believe God will intervene and bless people with the know-how to solve problems that may prevent catastrophes as described in the new Michael Crichton best selling novel, PREY. I want to believe that all the many nations of the earth will apply wisdom to solve problems and work out mutually agreeable solutions to differences. I want to believe nations will not use the God given gift of scientific knowledge to foolishly build increasing powerful destructive weapons of mass destruction. I want to believe nations will eventually learn to share benefits of technology without foolishly or naively putting their borders in jeopardy. I want to believe defense mechanisms will become increasingly emphasized as a military goal, instead of weaponry constructed purely for offensive maneuvers. I want to believe, because judgment, and judgment alone, awaits after devastation of global thermonuclear war. Every ignorant murderous foolish act and intention leads us closer day by day. By the grace of God, the lives of thirteen innocent people on death role in the state of Illinois were saved by DNA evidence proving beyond reasonable doubt the innocence of the thirteen death role inmates. God has allowed science and technology to create scientific techniques capable of more accurately and precisely uncovering and revealing truth. An increase in computation power will facilitate new discoveries in nanotechnology and artificial intelligence. New discoveries in nanotechnology and artificial intelligence will provide new scientific tools capable of uncovering and revealing truth. Society has a moral imperative to continue to develop sophisticated scientific techniques that will help uncover and reveal truth in a court of law. Santa Claus came to thirteen innocent death role inmates. In the 19th century a little girl, named Virginia, wrote a letter to a newspaper columnist asking if there really is a Santa Claus. The newspaper columnist replied with a now famous beautiful lyrical newspaper column entitled, Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. The new best selling Michael Crichton book, PREY, has become a strong voice of caution. An except from a Wonderful Life Foundation Feature article entitled, A Peaceful Non-Violent Jihad: A Spiritual Struggle to Make the World a Better Place to Live!, is very pertinent to this discussion: Bookmark this page now and click here to read the Wonderful Life Foundation feature article entitled, A Peaceful Non-Violent Jihad:A Spiritual Struggle to Make the World a Better Place to Live!, currently posted on the Nanodot.org online public forum. Excerpt: If I, as the feet, spur the horse to gallop faster, someone with helping hands, exercising a Divine mission, will pull the reigns of restraint at the proper time such that our galloping horse will reach the destination that God intends. Democracy is a distributive system that orchestrates the balance of power in such fashion as to facilitate positive constructive social progress. In this I have faith, that God will guide social progress. Our valiant effort to create a better future can only succeed by the grace of God. Success of our valiant efforts to create a better future will be a true miracle. Ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny. The human reptilian brain includes an innate natural instinct known to psychologist as the death instinct. We as human individuals have an innate natural tendency to quit, give up, and die. Michael Crichton is pulling the reigns of restraint to slow down our galloping horse. The new best selling novel, PREY, is a gift to the world. Vince Reynolds is one of the main characters in Michael Crichton's book, PREY. Vince Reynolds is a maintenance engineer. In the book PREY, Vince Reynolds poignantly pointed out, " . . .its not a perfect world Jack. Never has been. Never will be." Jack Forman, a major character who is a protagonist hero in the book PREY, philosophically pondered, "Things never turn out the way you expect". Self-Fulfilling Prophecy: PREY May Stymie Growth of the Young New Emerging Science of Nanotechnology thereby Condemning Society to be Undulated and Perhaps Drowned by Wave after Wave of of Severe Socioeconomic Problems As Related to A Need to Sell Potential Benefits of Nanotechnology Research and Development to Venture Capitalist leading to Hype and Forward looking Statements. At this early stage, the well known cliche, "there is nothing to fear, but fear itself", may be vital to consider. People are maimed and killed daily as a consequence of working with conventional industrial equipment. We are currently exposed to deadly toxic environmental pollutants in the air we breath, the products we make, and the water we drank. A news segment aired on 60 minutes discussed how a gasoline additive known as MTBE has created enormous environmental problems by poisoning the water supply in many regions. A huge number of people have died from lung disease and cancer as a result of exposure to a construction material known as asbestos. Recently, food scientist warned the public that fried foods have a cancer causing agent that may pose a serious health hazard. A huge number of people have died in automobile accidents as a consequence of faulty design and manufacture of tires. Cigarette smoking and health risk posed by second hand cigarette smoke has helped fill many graveyards. Agriculture waste such as chicken manure creates toxic substances poisoning rivers and streams. Poisoned rivers and streams containing toxic substances from natural agricultural sewage kill fish and wildlife. The Chenynoble Nuclear accident in Russia points to enormous risk posed by nuclear power to society. Given health risk posed by current manufacturing methods, danger from potential of a Nanotech intelligent swarm seems remote. Jack Forman, the heroic protagonist in Michael Crichton’s new best selling novel, PREY, philosophically contemplated, “. . . it was surprising how rarely people thought in evolutionary terms. It was a human blind spot. We looked at the world around us as a snapshot when it was really a movie, constantly changing. Of course, we knew it was changing but we behaved as if it wasn’t”. A prime example of change is global warming as a consequence of industrial pollutants. Industrial pollutants thin and deplete the ozone layer. The ozone layer protects the earth from scorching effects of the suns ultraviolet radiation. Global warming may be a contributing factor for dry brittle forest brush and foliage leading to enormously devastating forest fires in North American western states. Costly forest fires in the North American western states are economically devastating and ultimately drain money from the world economy. What can we do? Shut down the factories causing industrial pollution will more than likely lead to a global spread of famine, starvation, and severe poverty currently contained within the borders of 3rd world countries. Every moment change occurs rather we accept it or not. In the middle of the Milky Way galaxy is a massive black hole. A black hole is a dying star with a gravitational field so strong it is capable of swallowing planets, stars, and warping the very fabric of time and space. All the stars and planets contained within the Milky Way galaxy swirl around the black hole in the middle of the Milky Way. Extremely small measurements can make a big difference. What difference will a slight subtle change of a billionth part of one meter make as our earth and sun is gradually pulled and tilted from its current location within the Milky Way galaxy? A change of a billionth of one meter may be considered a gradual distortion of planet earths physical pattern. Will distortion of the earths pattern produced by a slight change of a billionth of one meter cause more violent earthquakes, devastating tornadoes, severe flooding, deadly forceful hurricanes, and volatile volcanic activity which includes spewing red hot molten lava filling city streets and consuming entire villages, etc, etc, etc? If mankind does not learn to practice love and compassion while trying to cooperate perhaps it will be poetic justice for the earth to be swallowed by a black hole in the middle of our Milky Way galaxy. In the epic Hollywood blockbuster movie, Ghost, dark empty demons emerged from the streets to carry the bad guys away. The epic Hollywood blockbuster movie Ghost starred Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore, and Whoopi Goldberg. Michael Crichton suggest in his new best selling novel, PREY, that the team of scientist working for the fictitious company, Xymos Technology Inc., who created an out of control runaway Nanoparticle Swarm, should have had more foresight, love, and compassion. A well known law of thermodynamics states that ordered systems have a natural tendency to move toward disorder. Order and disorder are separate natural processes occurring simultaneously. Historical progress of modern human civilization is typically characterized by taking two steps backward for every one step forward. The well-known cliché, "take two steps backward for every one step forward", may be a truism derived from the natural laws of thermodynamics. Thus, we as a collective global civilization, move painstakingly inch by inch toward to our final destiny. Nanotechnology and artificial intelligence should not be viewed as a cure-all solution. The development of new manufacturing methods based on nanotechnology and artificial intelligence will more than likely create an entire new set of problems. In business circles there is a concept known as forward statements. Forward statements are promises made about future benefits of a new emerging technology that a company may not be able to keep. Forward statements are promises about the future that cannot be verified with current data. An associated press article, published in the Tuesday December 17, 2002 edition of The Courier-Journal discussed how Enron executives invented an entire new business concept dubbed "hypothetical future value accounting". The hype surrounding phenomenal growth of nanotechnology may constitute forward statements. The concept of the forward statement is intricately entangled in the vital role of human imagination in helping scientist and engineers to design, create, and invent new products. Over many centuries, it has been widely recognized that the human mind plays an incredible role in determining future reality and outcomes. In the classic novel, 20,000 Leagues Beneath the Sea, famed author Jules Verne imagined the submarine many decades before actual design and construction of submarines. People laughed at Wilbur and Ovil Wright when they announced their goal to design and construct a flying machine. People could not believe humans would ever have the ability to fly in the air like birds. Psychologist have examined how adverse dire events can occur as a consequence of a person thinking and believing future reality will be dreadful and horrendous. Psychologist apply the term self-fulfilling prophesy to behavior of a person who creates and maintains difficult situations by thinking future reality will be a very unpleasant horrendous negative experience. Irrational thinking about horrendous future events has no basis in reality when such events cannot be objectively authenticated or verified with data indicating probability of future danger. Fear produced by irrational thinking about dreadful horrendous future events can result in inability to meet personal goals. An inability to meet personal goals leads to disastrous consequences and dysfunctional maladapted behavior. Dysfunctional maladapted behavior leads to more real trouble and adversity. Extrapolative data consist of observation and measurement of past events that produce real world outcomes at different points in time. Scientist make predictions about the future by using extrapolative data to calculate probability of future events. Probability of future events determined with the help of extrapolative data allows scientist to develop theoretical assertions about future events. Scientist test and retest theoretical assertions to produce more extrapolative data. No human person can predict the future with 100 percent accuracy. Critical elements to achieving successful future outcomes are (1) Extrapolative data, (2) the God given gift of the human mind possessing ability to imagine better designs, and (3) theoretical assertions about future events that are tested and retested. For example, in the early historical development of the fairly new emerging science of nanotechnology and artificial intelligence, occurring as recently as the late 1970's and early 1980's, very few scientist believed nanotechnology will ever be possible. One major discovery lead to another and another in very rapid session. IBM discovered the scanning tunneling probe microscope (STM). An STM allowed scientist to precisely manipulate atoms and molecules. STM's help computer manufacturing companies design better more efficient computer chips. The design of better more efficient computer chips increased computation power. An increase in computation power sets the stage for new knowledge and scientific discovery. Dr. Richard Smiley won the noble prize in chemistry for discovery of a carbon based molecular arrangement of atoms known as bucky balls and fullerene tubes. Bucky balls and fullerene tubes can act as transistors. Transistors conduct and regulate electrical current. Bucky balls and fullerene tubes may transform the entire electronic industry. Now, at the beginning of the 21st century the new emerging science of nanotechnology is a successful phenomenally growing field. In order to finance scientific research, there is a need to sell potential future benefits of new emerging technology to venture capitalist. Understandably, a novel, such as PREY, that tends to highlight and accentuate potential social risk and danger of nanotechnology research and development may generate concern within the scientific community. Scientist may be concerned that a novel that highlights and accentuates risk may dampen interest of venture capitalist in the very young new emerging field of nanotechnology. Scientist may have legitimate concern that a novel highlighting and accentuating potential catastrophic events relating to nanotechnoloy research and development may become a self-fulfilling prophesy, thereby condemning us to be undulated by wave after wave of problems associated with current socioeconomic conditions existing today. Scientist may be concerned that irrational fear leading toward self-fulfilling prophecy may condemn us to be overwhelmed and drowned in a vast ocean of conventional socioeconomic problems unrelated to development and implementation of nanotechnology and artificial intelligence on a grand social plateau. A certain amount of zeal and enthusiasm must exist to sell scientific research programs to venture capitalist. Optimism generated by excitement and enthusiasm about past scientific success may translate into hysterical over optimistic hype and forward-looking statements. Part II Prey Review: Michael Crichton's New Best Selling Novel, PREY, is Interwoven with Educational Concepts Laced within a Fictional Entertaining Storyline. The new Michael Crichton best selling novel, PREY, is very educational. As a captivated reader of the new Michael Crichton novel, PREY, I would like to share an observation about the book. Michael Crichton displays an uncanny amazing ability to interweave complex fundamental scientific concepts pertaining to software engineering, molecular microbiology, and nanotechnology within context of a fictional storyline which contains realistic everyday naturalistic household and industrial settings most ordinary non-scientist laymen are familiar with and can relate too. Inclusion of complex fundamental scientific concepts in a light fun entertaining context of a fictional storyline containing a naturalistic setting most people are familiar with can potentially help non-scientist laymen to digest and understand complex fundamental scientific concepts. I should know. I am not a scientist. I earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology with a concentration of course work in biology and computer science. I possess a very basic college level simple layman understanding of fundamental scientific concepts. I was enrolled many years ago in college level biology and computer science course work. The new Michael Crichton best selling novel, PREY, served as a review of scientific principles I learned long ago, but have long since forgotten. For example, the new Michael Crichton novel, PREY, jostled my memory about the computer programming technique of Recursion. Recursion is a computer programming technique of writing instructions for a computer program to continually loop back to the beginning of a set of computer code until the final answer is derived by the computer program. Perhaps, an act of relearning what I learned long ago during my college days, but have long since forgotten, is human cognitive activity similar to a recursive function built into a computer program. Thus, it can be said the new Michael Crichton book, PREY, is helping me become more intelligent by assisting me in learning about distributed artificial intelligent systems. In the first few chapters of PREY, Michael Crichton sets the stage for suspense and intrigue by describing growing tension in the marriage between the main heroic protagonist, Jack Forman, and his wife Julie. Julie begins to act different. Something in the marriage has changed. We watch as Jack becomes increasing suspicious while thinking and emoting about his wives odd behavior. As consumers of fine books, we are motivated to purchase and read books that help us learn and understand something new about ourselves. A mark of an excellent high caliber novel is when external events become symbolic of deep dynamic cognitive processes. An excellent novel helps us probe and learn about human nature. Hopefully, what we learn can help us prevent catastrophes by becoming better more caring and compassionate actively concerned people. External tension between Jack and his wife Julie opens a window into deep human cognitive processes that have an uncanny parallel to artificial distributed systems. Jacks obsession with his wives strange behavior involves Jack expending much energy to search within himself for basic fundamental rules. Software engineers establish fundamental rules or parameters controlling how a computer program will act or behave. Jack is searching within himself for fundamental rules that play a major role in (1) initiation of the marriage, (2) maintenance of the marriage, and (3) rules that may help keep the marriage moving forward in a goal directed manner. Final Conclusions The new Michael Crichton best selling novel, PREY, serves as the voice of caution. Michael Crichton is an author most widely known for his novel, Juassic Park and creation of the highly popular television drama ER. Jurassic Park became an epic Hollywood Blockbuster movie. A recent late night episode of ER contained an incredible highly clever special affect to hit home the idea that a subtle slight change on the sub-atomic molecular level may potentially transform the world into a bizarre pattern we no longer recognize. The late night ER rerun episode was broadcast in a dismal ghastly gray and green color. Sub-atomic particles known as photons are responsible for emission of the color spectrum. The underlying message of the late night ER episode is that a slight subtle change to sub-atomic photons can quickly transform the world into a bizarre pattern we no longer recognize or can relate too. I thought my television set was on the blink and started banging the box similar to the famous Happy Days television character Fonzy. It just goes to show, it would not take much to get someone like me completely confused and disoriented. The broadcast of the late night ER episode in dismal ghastly patterns of green and grey is a clever marketing ploy to sell Michael Crichton's new best selling novel, PREY. I highly recommend Michael Crichton's new best selling novel, PREY, currently available everywhere in fine bookstores and retail outlets. I believe the Michael Crichton best selling novel, PREY, should be required reading for students enrolled at various grade levels throughout the educational system. If my insights outlined within this book review help promote and sell the new Michael Crichton novel PREY by developing dynamic understanding and appreciation of the storyline content of PREY, I request that a contribution be made to my favorite charitable organization, The Foresight Institute. The Foresight Institute has a mission to (1) minimize, mitigate, and reduce potential risk and danger of new emerging technology to society, and (2) help maximize and ameliorate potential benefits of new emerging technology to society. About the Author Author byline and Bio: Mark Gaffney is a contributing freelance writer. Mark has earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology with a concentration of coursework in physiology, biology, and computer science. Mark is in the process of trying to start a new Not-for-Profit Foundation entitled, Wonderful Life Foundation. Mark plans to submit his online work as a thesis project to earn his Doctorate (PhD.) degree and officially become a Nanotechnology Sociologist. Bookmark this page now and click here to review preliminary plans for organizational development of Wonderful Life Foundation currently published on www.ServeNet.org. ServeNet.org, Idealist.org, and Network-for-Good.org are associated with the government web site portal, www.freedomcorp.gov, an initiative of President George W. Bush to promote volunteerism and provide services to help Not-for-Profit organizations.

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