Protein engineering is a technology of molecular machines - of molecular machines that are part of replicators - and so it comes from an area that already raises some of the issues that nanotechnology will raise.

Summary

This quote suggests that protein engineering, a technology that involves manipulating molecular machines within replicators, is similar to nanotechnology in terms of the ethical and societal issues it presents. Both fields involve working with small-scale components and raise questions about their potential impacts and implications. The comparison implies that the concerns and debates surrounding nanotechnology can partially inform the discussion and considerations surrounding protein engineering.

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