Nanotechnology: Ethical and Social Implications

摘要

Advances in nanotechnology are bringing about tremendous changes in the creation of materials and products. These advances bring with them a need for society to reassess how technology is perceived and used. Medical applications of nanotechnology are probably the most familiar, especially in the area of nanodiagnos-tics and nanonmedicine, however the potential for nanotechnology application is far broader, particularly from the perspective of systems on a nanoscale. This excellent edited volume in 16 chapters explores nanotechnology in great depth focusing on a number of key objectives, namely: familiarizing the reader with precisely what nanotechnology is; presenting a broad overview of the actual and potential applications of nanotechnology; examining a number of specific high-profile applications; addressing the social and ethical issues associated with the use of nanotechnology. This is a timely agenda and is executed with great dexterity by the editor.