We can shrink a computer image by extrapolating an equivalent with less pixels. The result is never exactly how it should be due to floating point (in)accuracy and pixel accuracy, but in theory it could be.
Assuming we can de-construct the make-up of something at its very base level (and the fact we don't exactly know what this is shows how far we are from doing anything like this) then I don't see why, in theory, the same principles couldn't apply.
To use your example, shrinking an object is highly unlikely, as that suggests we re-create it perfectly just on a smaller scale. However I can envisage how it might be possible.
However its the imagination of what could be possible that drives the development of the actually possible, so personally I see no reason to ever curtail the imagination of sci-fi writers etc. While much of what they come up will never be reasonably possible, they offer inspiration to much of what is.
Assuming we can de-construct the make-up of something at its very base level (and the fact we don't exactly know what this is shows how far we are from doing anything like this) then I don't see why, in theory, the same principles couldn't apply.
To use your example, shrinking an object is highly unlikely, as that suggests we re-create it perfectly just on a smaller scale. However I can envisage how it might be possible.
However its the imagination of what could be possible that drives the development of the actually possible, so personally I see no reason to ever curtail the imagination of sci-fi writers etc. While much of what they come up will never be reasonably possible, they offer inspiration to much of what is.