Bhutan is a small landlocked country in the eastern Himalayas that is attempting to pursue an alternative to the common approaches to the relationships among science, technology, and ethics. Bordered on the north by Tibet and on the south by India, this Buddhist kingdom is approximately one-third the size of nearby Nepal, with a population estimated at around 1 million persons. In 1959, after the Chinese invasion of Tibet, Bhutan departed from a period of isolation that had lasted for centuries to accept assistance from India in building its first major road, thus initiating close diplomatic and economic ties with its southern neighbor. Despite its international ties, since 1960 Bhutan has pursued a cautious and circumspect approach to technology and development.

The vision guiding Bhutan's approach has emerged from the core values of Vajrayana Buddhism, specifically the Drukpa Kagyu and Nyingma lineages that dominate the country's spiritual landscape. The effect of...