Skilled manpower is a key competetive advantage for any organization toward a knowledge-based development. "Skill Training System", with such an important duty, is under influence of science & technology development, so it is neccesary to investigate the effects of new technological concepts as "Technological Convergence". This study uses "Environmental Scanning" to foresight "Convergent Technologies" in skill training system and the results show that all components of the system (Inputs, Processes, Outputs & Outcomes) will be changed by those Technologies (Nano, Bio, ICT & Cognitive Sciences) in future.

Purpose: The present study aims to identify and explain the futures of Iranian provinces in the competition for the development of NBIC technological convergence (synergy between nanotechnology, biotechnology, information technology and cognitive sciences) with a focus on Yazd province. Method: This research, which has been conducted with a qualitative and descriptive approach, is classified as an exploratory futures-study. In this way, the relevant research records were first reviewed to compile a list of drivers in the development of Convergent Technologies. The list was then refined and prioritized to identify two key drivers, with the Delphi process attended by fourteen experts. By intersecting the uncertainties of these two drivers, four scenarios of the province's future in technological convergence competition emerged. Findings: The two key drivers affecting the success of the province in the competition for Convergent Technologies are: the rate of development of the innovation ecosystem and the amount of financial resources allocated to this process. Based on this, four scenarios of the future situation of the province in this field were identified, which have been named as "Vanguard", "Buyer", "Remnant" and "Hired". Conclusion: In order for the provinces to be able to succeed in the forthcoming competitions in the production and operation of Convergent Technologies, it is necessary to plan for strengthening the ecosystem infrastructure from now; at the same time, it is necessary to make efficient efforts to provide sufficient financial resources for the research and commercialization of these Technologies.

Purpose: The aim is paper to study and compare subject fields contributing in converging Technologies (biotechnology, nanotechnology, infor-mation technology and cognitive science) sci-entific output in Iran (2001-2015) and find out about their com-mon and uncommon subfields. Methodology: This applied study uses bib-liometric techniques. The data gathered from Scopus. Findings: The largest number of articles be-longed to Bio, Nano, Info and cognitive sciences respectively. The highest growth rate occurred during the period belonged to nano, info, cognitive and bio sciences re-spectively. Conclusion: Diversity of subjects contribu-tion to nano and bio sciences was more than cognitive and in-formation sciences. Biochemistry, genetics and molecular biology, medicine, computer sciences, engineering and ‘ pharmacology, toxicology and pharmaceutics’ were common in all four areas. Chemistry and material science were the fields that could massively impact nano, bio and infor-mation sciences.

There is now a competitive race between some countries to code the human brain. Technology is advancing in such a way that it has influenced and even controlled the brain and therefore the behavior of enemy soldiers. Ground-breaking Technologies in neuroscience have enabled mankind to achieve new types of non-destructive weapons to manipulate the human operating system (brain). These include neurotherapic drugs to change behavior, remote monitoring of human brain activity using electromagnetic waves, acoustic weapons that send sound beams directly into the soldiers' skulls, and even holographic projection and other symbols of a complex battlefield. In the current research, the author proves that the focal point of war activities now and in the future will be around achieving the psychological effects of war. In this situation, there is no need for military actions in the physical field and the costs will be significantly reduced. The descriptive-analytical research examines the functions of cognitive warfare using Convergent Technologies, neocortical and neural weapons as groundbreaking Technologies.

Among the required infrastructures for a society to develop, the administrative system, specially the one that is influenced by Convergent Technologies (NBIC) plays a vital role. The purpose of this paper is a futures study on iran’ s administrative system under the influence of Convergent Technologies. At the initial stage, we identified 51 possible achievements of Convergent Technologies in various aspects of human life by environmental scanning. Next by using a Delphi technique, we collected and analyzed the views of 74 Iranian experts who were specialist in the fields of technological convergence. Finally, by using the morphological analysis technique, the future status of the administrative system of Iran is depicted in several scenarios. Findings show that, the probability of occurrence of 19 achievements of NBIC's convergence in a ten-years period will be "very high" and "high", and on the other hand, multiple dimensions of the administrative system is under the influence of NBIC’ s achievements. The results also explain the way Iran’ s admiristrative reform will be influenced by the NBIC. Furthermore, the research triple scenarios (optimistic, pessimistic and median), will help the Iran’ s policy makers and higher civil servants to select a path of technological convergence that is most suitable for the country’ s administrative system.

The present study attempts to introduce the role and function of the government in innovative capability building under the influence of the technological convergence flow as a foresight study and introduce the predictable futures of Convergent Technologies (NBIC). The approach of this research is qualitative and descriptive and has been used in morphological and scenario-building strategies. Thus, the most common mechanisms of public support in the process of innovation capability enhancement are identified and modeled; in parallel, the most important achievements of Convergent Technologies are derived from one of the valid models. Then, the intensity of the impacts of technological convergence on each aspect of governmental support is estimated through expert panel & morphological analysis techniques. Finally, by implementing the scenario-building technique, three alternative scenarios of the future (including minimal, moderate, and maximum scenarios) are designed. The results show that by utilizing intelligently the revolutionary capacities of Convergent Technologies, the governments can establish the desirable future of the role of governance in development of innovative capabilities, and this position can be evolved strongly compared to the current situation.

Purpose: The future of the construction industry is increasingly influenced by new Technologies. In order to adopt appropriate strategies in facing new Technologies, it is necessary to know the possible futures of the construction industry. This research was done with the aim of explaining the technological uncertainties and compiling the future scenarios of the construction industry.  Method: The research method is applied and was carried out with a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods. First, the library study was used to determine the technological drivers, then the Structural Analysis was used to explain the technological uncertainties, and finally, the Schwartz method was used to compile the scenarios. The statistical population is experts of construction industry. Findings: Nine technological uncertainties affecting the future of the construction industry have been identified and for each of them, three states of decline, stagnation and progress have been considered. Data analysis by Scenario Wizard shows eight probable scenarios. The portfolio of scenarios including four groups of progress scenarios, towards progress, towards stagnation, and towards wane has been compiled. Conclusion: In the progress scenario, the 89% of uncertainties have developed. In  towards progress, 56% of the factors are in the development status, which indicates the development of the technological factor application. In the stagnation scenario, no progress has been made in the application of uncertainties and they are in a static state. In towards wane, uncertainties have been placed in a situation of reduced use.

Critical assessment of social changes and the impact of factors which, through their mutual interactions, shape the outlooks and ways of life of people and societies are among the major concerns of contemporary philosophers who would like to use their theoretical knowledge to tackle applied problems. In the present paper we try to assess, from a philosophical and critical point of view based on Critical Rationalism, some of the socio-cultural impacts of wide-ranging changes caused due to unprecedented developments in the converging sciences & Technologies. The first part of the paper deals with a brief introduction of the notion of the fourth wave of scientific and Technologies development due to developments in the following four fields: Nano, Bio, Info, and Cogno (NBIC). In the second part of the paper we discuss some of the most important socio-cultural consequences of the developments in NBIC sciences and Technologies. The main aim of this philosophical investigation is to consider the options open to modern man vis-à-vis new developments in sciences and Technologies. In the last part of the paper some policy recommendations with regard to the issues discussed are introduced. It is hoped that the proposed recommendations prove to be useful for the policy-makers in Iran.