Moonbeam Time...Again

     On April 13, 1973 Robert was sitting on the stage of Purdue University's magnificent Hall of Music. The occasion was the Grissom-Chaffee Memorial Seminar on the subject of "Technology and Man's Future." The featured speaker was one of Purdue's astronauts Gene Cernan who led the Apollo 17 moon mission. The hall was filled with people who came to hear Gene Cernan. Robert had the privilege of bein g invited by then-Purdue President Arthur Hansen to be a discussant following the speaker's presentation. Cernan showed some remarkable pictures taken during the moon mission and the audience was gasping. This was a tough act to follow, but here is what Robert said more than 40 years ago.

"I believe that the regulation of technology is the most important intellectual and political task on the American agenda. I believe that a beginning on this task is possible if we do several things. first, we must recognize that technology is more than simply 'organized knowledge for practical purposes. such a benign definition of technology emphasizes its purity--that there is no intrinsic flaw or benefit in technology--only in those using it. We must begin to understand technology as an institutional system with an ideology, elites, interest groups and supportive links with corporations, foundations, military interests, federal government, and universities.

Any attempt to alter, regulate or stop certain developments or applications will have to confront that institutional system, and it will take more than the wisdom of scientists, humane values, and a convincing cost-benefit model.

     The second thing that must be done is the creation and institutionalization of a technical-professional role that will put people first and technology second. it is often assumed that technical experts and professionals have no ax to grind, and therefore their output is always on behalf of the general good or humankind, rather than for their own benefit, or that of the people who are involved in the technical practice, or for the corporate profits which always seem to accrue after major technical innovations have been developed.

     Unfortunately, the experts' loyalties are not always pure. Neither is the power that must be granted if they are to apply their special knowledge. What Robert said more than forty years ago may not make much sense today. But it may be worth considering.