As we proceed into the 21st century, the accelerating change in which we are enmeshed is rising to the level of popular awareness. Nanotechnology and genetic science now appear in the daily news and have become topics of general discussion.

As always, new technologies carry new risks and raise the importance of human awareness and anticipation of the consequences, both intended and unintended.

One thing is certain, technology -- essentially human knowledge -- can not be stopped or reversed, nor should we try to fight the rising tide, but rather learn to build a boat, and see where it takes us.

Just as past alarms over "the population explosion" or "nuclear winter", or the already familiar debate over "global warming" focused attention on newly perceived risks, the increased awareness of these emerging technologies is a natural part of the process leading to a dynamic balance -- lasting only until the next wave of change arrives upon our temporary shores.

The challenge, and the opportunity, is for us to see as clearly as possible and use our freedom of choice and action to participate and benefit wisely in the process.

This section attempts to highlight forces within the overall dynamic that react in ways that limit our knowledge and choice. In a sense it's a meta-reaction to the reactionary element, and the limit of these recursive processes will be seen as the eventual "natural" result. Go ahead and make yourself an active part of the process!