Belief in small things...

Bess writes: Here’s an odd story from the BBC about belief in small things. A new report has come out on attitudes to nanotechnology – research in the field of ultra small matter, we’re talking less than 1 micrometer (to be precise, one nanometre is one-millionth of a millimetre). Religious people view nanotechnology negatively says the study, which compared attitudes on the subject in 12 European countries and in the US. They measured each country in terms of religiosity and found that nations where religious belief tended to be strongest – for example Ireland and Italy – were on the whole less open to nanotechnology, whereas less religious countries, eg The Netherlands – were more accepting.  In case you are wondering where the conflict might be – I mean how exactly do you question someone about their belief in the use of matter less than a millionth of a millimetre – the researchers explain that nanotechnology raises a whole “host” of issues about the creation of new life, without divine intervention.
Technology consultant Dr Donald Bruce says: “It is not a study about what religions or believers think about nanotechnology, but about the influence of religiosity on views of nanotechnology.”
More illuminating is news of the US study: this questioned participants on the risk posed by the internet, genetically modified food, nuclear power and mad cow disease. Those who rated the risk high were likely to take a similar line on nanotechnology.

Comments

[Tony B]

So in other words, religious people have a greater tendency to stand in the way of progress?

That's not really news, is it? ;o)

[iain rae]

Many religious people seem incapaple of thinking.Bit of a shame ,since the natural world is a thousand times more interesting than the supernatural.