Ongoing research in nanotechnology promises both innovations andrisks, potentially and profoundly changing the world. This bookhelps to promote a balanced understanding of this importantemerging technology, offering an informed and impartial look at thetechnology, its science, and its social impact and ethics.* Nanotechnology is crucial for the next generation ofindustries, financial markets, research labs, and our everydaylives; this book provides an informed and balanced look atnanotechnology and its social impact* Offers a comprehensive background discussion on nanotechnologyitself, including its history, its science, and its tools, creatinga clear understanding of the technology needed to evaluate ethicsand social issues* Authored by a nanoscientist and philosophers, offers anaccurate and accessible look at the science while providing anideal text for ethics and philosophy courses* Explores the most immediate and urgent areas of social impactof nanotechnology

Preface viiiUnit I What Is Nanotechnology? 11 The Basics of Nanotechnology 31.1 Definitions and Scales 31.2 The Origins of Nanotechnology 51.3 The Current State of Nanotechnology 81.4 The Future of Nanotechnology 121.5 Nanotechnology in Nature and Applications 162 Tools of the Trade 202.1 Seeing the Nanoscale 212.2 Basic Governing Theories 303 Nanomaterials 363.1 Formation of Materials 363.2 Carbon Nanomaterials 373.3 Inorganic Nanomaterials 444 Applied Nanotechnology 564.1 Using Nanomaterials 564.2 Nanotechnology Computing and Robotics 624.3 Predicting the Future of Technology 67Unit II Risk, Regulation, and Fairness 715 Risk and Precaution 735.1 Risk 735.2 Cost-Benefit Analysis 795.3 Precautionary Principles 825.4 Evaluating the Precautionary Principle 896 Regulating Nanotechnology 966.1 The Stricter-Law Argument 976.2 Learning from History 1006.3 Objections to the Stricter-Law Argument 1026.4 An Interim Solution? 1206.5 Putting the Pieces Together 1247 Equity and Access 1267.1 Distributive Justice 1277.2 Nanotechnology and the Developing World 1327.3 Water Purification 1357.4 Solar Energy 1407.5 Medicine 1437.6 Nanotechnology, the Developing World, and DistributiveJustice 145Unit III Ethical and Social Implications 1518 Environment 1538.1 Society, Technology, and the Environment 1548.2 Environmental Risks of Nanotechnology 1598.3 Nanotechnology Solutions to Environmental Problems 1618.4 Overall Assessments: Risk and Precaution 1689 Military 1709.1 The Military and Technology 1709.2 A Nano-Enabled Military 1739.3 A Nano-Enabled Defense System 1779.4 Ethical Concerns 17910 Privacy 18510.1 Historical and Legal Background 18610.2 Philosophical Foundations 19210.3 Radio Frequency Identity Chips 19810.4 Item-Level Tagging 20110.5 Human Implants 20410.6 RFID-Chipped Identification 20710.7 Is RFID a Threat to Privacy? 21011 Medicine 21511.1 The Rise of Nanomedicine 21611.2 Diagnostics and Medical Records 21911.3 Treatment 22311.4 Moving Forward 22712 Human Enhancement 23012.1 What is Human Enhancement? 23112.2 Defining Human Enhancement 23412.3 The Therapy-Enhancement Distinction 23712.4 Human Enhancement Scenarios 24012.5 Untangling the Issues in Human Enhancement 24312.6 Restricting Human Enhancement Technologies? 25213 Conclusion 25413.1 Chapter Summaries 25513.2 Final Thoughts and Future Investigations 258References 261Index 282