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Social and Ethical Issues Surrounding Nanotechnology

Social and Ethical Issues Surrounding Nanotechnology. Based on Nanotechnology: The Social and Ethical Issues, Ronald Sandler, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies, PEN 16, January 2009. PSCI 4442 – February 27, 2009.

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Social and Ethical Issues Surrounding Nanotechnology

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  1. Social and Ethical Issues Surrounding Nanotechnology Based on Nanotechnology: The Social and Ethical Issues, Ronald Sandler, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies, PEN 16, January 2009. PSCI 4442 – February 27, 2009

  2. Three Misconceptions about Social and Ethical Issues • Too soon to tell • The inevitable goodness • Point of studying these issues is to secure public acceptance

  3. Typology of Issues • Social Context Issues • Contested Moral Issues • Technoculture Issues • Form of Life Issues • Transformational Issues

  4. Social Context Issues • Environmental Justice • Substantially new manufacturing infrastructure • Where does the manufacturing go?

  5. Social Context Comments • Many of the issues have been researched • Require immediate attention • Significant to responsible development • Requires remedying problematic features of the social contexts (location) • Action may be taken • Intersect with government functions • Need input from social scientists and ethicists

  6. Moral Context Issues • Sanctity of life forms

  7. Moral Issues Comments • Not applicable to all nanotechnologies • Determinate and immediate • Involve conflicting world views • Must consider moral implications • Concerns regarding moral issues cannot be excluded from social and political conversation • Issues are actionable

  8. Technoculture Context Issues • Nanotechnology as Techno-Fix?

  9. Technoculture Issues Comments • Immediate and determinate • Highlight significance of individual and cultural attitudes or tendencies • Intersect with social context issues • Intersect with governmental functions and responsibilities • Many aspects actionable • Not necessarily applicable to all nanotechnologies

  10. Form of Life Context Issues • Virtual Reality and Sociability (social aspects of extended life, replacement of natural goods?)

  11. Form of Life Issues Comments • Impact on human situation likely substantial • Issues will be diverse and profound • Difficult to identify impacts in advance • Less determinate and actionable than others • Not usually social problems • Intersect with government functions and responsibilities

  12. Transformational Issues • Transformational dimensions of radical human enhancement

  13. Transformational Issues Comments • Less immediate and less determinate than others • Should not take precedence over other social and ethical issues • Should not be dismissed

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