Utopias and Dystopias
Where some commentators see nanotechnology giving rise to whole new industries and societal paradigms, others see it as a gradual evolution that will likely be embedded in existing economic, social, and political structures.
Nanotechnology has yet to be implemented or even envisioned in its full scale. All of this suggests that interpretation and discussion of the implications of nanotechnology are in many respects subjective, or at the very least dependent on the interpretive frames of those who describe it. Where one person or group may perceive nanotechnology as an unknown, risky quantity that requires regulation, others see an enormous commercial opportunity that is itself placed at risk if regulation is too restrictive.
However, negative views and dark scenarios about the impacts of nanoscience should not consume our imaginations. Nanotechnology holds the potential for dramatic and beneficial changes in healthcare, agriculture, and computing, just to name a few important areas. For example, scientists and doctors are working on tiny nanobots, small robots which would be injected into the bloodstream to attack cancerous cells or deliver live-saving medicines.
The societal implications of nanotechnology are important issues that warrant research from a variety of scholars, and they warrant active civic engagement from a concerned public. Virtually every aspect of society has the potential to be affected by nanotechnology. While some nanotechnology innovations such as better cleaning products seem relatively innocuous, others could impact highly contested areas such as law and ethics, security and privacy, equity, power, and wealth, as well as individual, group, and societal well-being.
Further Reading:
- Berube, David. 2005. Nano-Hype: The Truth Behind the Nanotechnology Buzz, Amherst, NY: Prometheus.
- Schummer, Joachim. 2005. Societal and ethical implications of nanotechnology: Meanings, interest groups, and social dynamics. Techné 8(2):56-87.
