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UNIT 3 NANOTECHNOLOGY: BASIC IDEAS AND APPLICATIONS

Contents

3.1 Objectives
3.2 Introduction
3.3 Definition
3.4 History of Nano Technology
3.5 Nano Technology: New Technological Revolution
3.6 Nano Technology: Applications
3.7 Discourse on nanotechnology
3.8 Ethical and Social Concerns
3.9 Democratization of Technology
3.10 Let us Sum Up
3.11 Key words
3.12 Further Readings and References

3.1 OBJECTIVES

Nano technology is an innovative development in science and technology. It has a convergence

with many disciplines. It has revolutionary implications for society. It has even a potential to
challenge the existing notions of reality. This unit provides the basic ideas and applications of
nano technology. Further it explores the social ethical implications of this kind of technological
developments in contemporary world situation.

3.2 INTRODUCTION

Nanotechnology involves working with matter at the atomic or molecular scale. Nano
technology is a technology of rearranging and processing of atoms and molecules to fabricate
materials to nano specifications such as a nanometre. Materials and devices designed and made
at the molecular level would be quite different from those of daily use today. It is argued that the
new products would be far superior in terms of strength, toughness, speed and efficiency. The
products are considered cleaner, stronger, lighter and more precise. Nano technology is set to
bring about a fundamental change in several areas- materials science, electronics, biology,
medicine- and is expected to profoundly change the pattern and standard of life of people. The
goal of research in nanotechnology is to discover and understand these unique properties and
ultimately find a way to put these characteristics to use.

Nano science is a convergence of physics, chemistry, materials science and biology, which deals
with the manipulation and characterization of matter on length scales between the molecular and
the micron size. Nanotechnology is an emerging engineering discipline that applies methods
from nano science to create products. Nanotechnology is an emerging range of technologies in
which medicine and engineering meet physics and chemistry. Nanotechnology involves
‘research and technology development at the atomic, molecular, or macromolecular levels, in the
length scale of approximately 1 to 100 nm range, to provide a fundamental understanding of
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phenomena and materials at the nanoscale and to create and use structures, devices, and systems
that have novel properties and functions because of their small and/or intermediate size’.
Materials of molecular and macromolecular scales have new and often unexpected properties.
Nano technology poses a challenge to manipulate atoms individually and place them precisely
where they are needed with predefined features.

3.3 NANO TECHNOLOGY: DEFINITION

There is no common agreement on the definition of nanotechnology. Many scholars and research
agencies defined it differently. The current dictionary definition of Nanotechnology is ‘the
design, characterization, production and application of materials, devices and systems by
controlling shape and size at nanoscale.’ (E.Abad. et al., Nano Dictionary. Basel: Collegium
Basilea, 2005) The Royal Society (2004) defines Nanoscience as the study of phenomena and
manipulation of materials at atomic, molecular and macromolecular scales, where properties
differ significantly from those at a larger scale. Nanotechnologies are design, characterization,
production and application of structures, devices and systems by controlling shape and size at
nanometer scale. US National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI), one of the largest founders of
nanotechnology research in the world uses the definition: nanotechnology is the understanding
and control of matter at the dimensions between approximately 1 and 100 nanometers, where
unique phenomena enable novel applications. Encompassing nanoscale science, engineering, and
technology, nanotechnology involves imaging, measuring, modeling, and manipulating matter at
this length scale. (NNI, 2008). US Foresight Institute came with a definition, “nanotechnology is
a group of emerging technologies in which the structure of matter is controlled at the nanometer
scale to produce novel materials and devices that have useful and unique properties.”

3.4 HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF NANO TECHNOLOGY

Though the term Nanotechnology was coined in 1974 by a Japanese scientist Norio Taniguchi, it
has nothing to do with the present day usage. The prefix of nanotechnology derives from the unit
of length, the nanometer, and in their broadest definitions these terms refer to the science and
technology that derives from being able to assemble, manipulate, observe and control matter on
length scales from one nanometer up to 100 nanometers or so. One nanometer is a billionth of a
meter or one thousandth of a micrometer, sometimes called a micron, which in turn is one
thousandth of a millimeter. It is abbreviated to 1 nm. Molecules, viruses and atoms are objects
that range from less than 1nm to about 100 nm. For instance, a human hair is roughly 20,000 nm
in diameter. A bacterial cell might be up to a few thousand nanometers in size. They are too
small to see with the eye, or even with the microscopes that use visible light. New technologies
are facilitating to visualize even these small particles. The technologies like the scanning
tunneling microscope and the atomic force microscope are not only for seeing but also
manipulating things at this small scale.
Prior to invention of scanning tunneling microscope, the atomic structure of matter was
quantitatively revealed by x-ray diffraction. The information they contain are not direct real
space representation of matter. With them you cannot pinpoint the position in space of a given
atom, molecule or cluster. With the development of Scanning Tunnelling microscope, not only
could the individual atoms and molecules be imaged; they could also be individually
manipulated. Through the inventions of scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), scanning force
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microscopy (SFM) in second half of twentieth century, images are obtained not by gathering
reflected or refracted waves from a sample, as happens in conventional microscopies such as
light or electron microscopy. Instead, a very fine tip is scanned across the surface of the sample,
interacting with it in one of a number of possible ways. The picture is built up electronically by
recording the changing interaction with the surface as the tip is scanned across it. New
techniques – including scanning force microscopy – are capable of interrogating the properties of
single molecules. It is the information about the properties of a single molecule provided by
these techniques will be essential in the design of nano scale devices.

Today, nano technology has emerged as an important interdisciplinary subject with internalizing
the recent developments in various fields. The nano technology has wider applications and
products produced by nano technology have serious implications too for contemporary world-
economically, ethically and politically. The world of nano technology is broadly divided into two
major application areas- wet and dry areas. The wet area includes the biological domain, where
nano structures may function within biological cells. The dry area includes hydrophobic
architectures and strategies that govern improvement of materials including computer chips. Dry
nano technology applications have preceded the biological use. Initially, biology and electronics
are likely to be the major areas of application. Nano technology is also expected to provide a new
tool to read the genetic code. The discoveries that have been made so far in the science of nano
scale, offer new possibilities for a multitude of industries.

3.5 NANO TECHNOLOGY: NEW TECHNOLOGICAL REVOLUTION

Nanotechnology is being heralded as a new technological revolution. It is so profound that it will

touch all aspects of economy and society. Through the developments in nano technology, energy
will be clean and abundant, the environment will have been repaired to a pristine state, and any
kind of material artefact can be made for almost no cost. Space travel will be cheap and easy,
disease will be a thing of the past, and we can all expect to live for more years.

Current applications for nanotechnology are dominated by tools for scientists, and by new
materials that are structured on the nanoscale. Such materials are used in cosmetics, health and
medicine and in a variety of manufactured goods. The electronics and information technology
industries are also a prominent driver for these new technologies. Carbon nanotubes have
potential applications in electronics, improved materials, and drug delivery. Today we have
already been witnessing a few commercial applications of nanotechnology such as improved
hard-disks for computers, sunscreens, and improvements to telecommunications. Much of the
potential for the translation of nanoscience into useful and viable products is likely to be realised
within the next decade or two. As the knowledge and tools improve, it is likely that at least some
of the possible applications will become commonplace in our everyday lives. For instance, new
lithographic techniques to make nanoscale components for computers are highly likely to replace
current methods and materials. Levels of public expectation that nanotechnology may bring
about significant improvements in the length and the quality of life are high. In the field of bio
technology and medicine, the public expectation on this new technology is high. The biggest
economic driving force for nanotechnology now comes from information technology.
Nanotechnology has the potential for smaller and faster computers with larger memories than
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current processes of making transistors and other components permit. In the long term, entirely
new applications may emerge.

Technological optimists look forward to a world transformed for the better by nanotechnology.
For them it will cheapen the production of all goods and services, permit the development of new
products and self-assembly modes of production, and allow the further miniaturisation of control
systems. At the same, there is strong criticism on the implication of nano technology in our
society on different accounts. However, it is too early to predict its implications.

3.6. APPLICATIONS OF NANO TECHNOLOGY

Nanotechnology applications in development can be broadly divided into several thematic areas:
the development of the tools that enable the research and ultimately the technology; applications
relating to new or improved materials; applications within the sphere of electronics and IT;
advances in health and medicine; improvements in cosmetic products and advances in food
technology; developments in products for military and security use, and space exploration; and
products and processes to improve the environment. Nano technology has tremendous
development in the fields of material science, electronics, biomedical science, biotechnology,
military and the environment. The computing and electro communications industries are driving
large investments with the aim of maintaining the relentless technological advances that the
structure of those industries seems to demand. In Biomedical science, the driving force for
innovation is as much political as economic, as spending on medical research seems to be one of
the most popular and widely supported forms of public spending in western economies.

Material science
The science of metals, ceramics, colloids and polymers, has always concerned itself with
controlling the structure of materials on the nanoscale. Here, nanoscale science and technology
will largely facilitate incremental advances on existing materials and technologies. The improved
control over nanoscale structure, and better understanding of relationships between structure and
properties, will continue the long-run trend towards materials that are stronger and tougher for
their weight. Some specific areas in which Nano science technology is contributing to materials
science now include: new forms of carbon; nanocomposites; quantum dots and wires; and
nanostructured materials produced by self-assembly. The cosmetics and paints industries are
perhaps perceived as being the most developed in incorporating nanoparticles into their products,
for example, the shampoos, skin creams, and sunscreens already being used by consumers.
Medical
The medical area of nanoscience application is projected as one of the most potentially valuable,
with many projected benefits to humanity. With the advent of new materials, and the synergy of
nanotechnologies and biotechnologies, it could be possible to create artificial organs and
implants that are more akin to the original, through cell growth on artificial scaffolds or
biosynthetic coatings that increase biocompatibility and reduce rejection. These could include
retinal, cochlear and neural implants, repair of damaged nerve cells, and replacements of
damaged skin, tissue or bone. The diagnostics and drug delivery is likely to benefit from the
development of nanotechnology. With nanoparticles it is possible that drugs may be given better
solubility, leading to better absorption.
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Cosmetics
Cosmetics and personal products companies have been extremely active in using nanotechnology
to improve their existing products and to develop new ones. Cosmetics companies were among
the first to get products that were labelled as being nano-enhanced to market. Shampoos and skin
creams, containing nanoparticles with the ability to deliver the desired ingredient to where it is
needed.

Military
In the field of military, improved materials, lighter but with tough, heat resistant properties, are
being used in the design and construction of spacecraft and satellites, and this process will gain
from nanotechnology. There is also the possibility of nanotechnology facilitating improvements
in civilian security equipment. The Institute of Nanotechnology suggests fingerprinting will
become cheaper, quicker and more effective using DNA techniques involving nanotechnology,
and there is also the possibility that nano-based sensors could be used as electronic detectors
(‘sniffer dogs’) for improved airport security. Quantum dots, fluorescent nanoparticles which
glow when exposed to ultraviolet light, may be used as tags and labels to prevent theft and
counterfeiting, and to trace the course of drugs within the body.

Biotechnology
In the field of biotechnology researchers are looking to nanotechnology as the basis of new
implants that will replace lost hearing or vision, as new ways of delivering 'smart drugs' to parts
of the human body, and as ways of carrying 'body repair' cells to areas where tissue has been
damaged. As researchers master this new field, revolutionary concepts such as replacement
arteries, nanofibre bone reinforcements, powerful microscopes the size of a pen, and new
diagnostic technologies are becoming more and more probable.

Green Technology
Nanotechnology can be used to prevent, monitor and alleviate a wide range of environmental
problems, while significantly reducing cost and improving performance. Current and future
applications of nanotechnology will allow us to:

• Develop new "green" processing technologies that minimize the amount of undesired by-
products;
• Detect and remove the finest contaminants from air, water, and soil, which would
enhance the ability of governments to respond to terrorist threats and ensure the safety of
water supplies;
• Attain sustainable development by reducing the use of raw materials;
• Design cars that are lighter and more resistant to denting and scratching, resulting in fuel
savings and increased longer-lasting vehicles;
• Extend the shelf life of food and beverages by creating barriers against water vapor and
oxygen;
• Save energy through "smart" insulation and construction materials

Hi-Tech
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Nanotechnology provides unprecedented control of light and power. Light emission and/or
absorption are crucial for optical communications, display technologies, information storage,
solar energy collection, genome sequencing, and even targeted drug delivery. The integration of
organic/inorganic/mechanical properties can result in self-intelligent systems and self-correcting
systems with internal control. Miniaturization is a critical concern for microelectronics,
computing and telecommunications industries. Optical routers, large-scale displays, and ultra-
dense molecular memory are only some of the short-term applications. A cool flat-panel screen
will replace your bulky television set at an affordable price, thanks to carbon nanotechnology.
This technology will produce better displays at a lower cost, for home theatres, office equipment,
portable computing tools, and many other applications. Based on a fusion of biology and
photonics, there are also potential applications in non-invasive cancer therapies, laser tissue
welding, drug delivery, and diagnostics.
Check Your Progress I
Note: Use the space provided for your answers.
1) Define nanotechnology?
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2) Discuss the applications of nanotechnology?
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3.7 DISCOURSE ON NANO TECHNOLOGY

The debate on nanotechnology is founded on a range of conceptions of what this emerging

technology encompasses, and judgments on what it may mean for society. The scientific
community too divided on the potential and future of nano technology. Some of them attributed
radical departure from science and technology and visualized revolutionary implications of nano
technology. Some of the scientists are skeptical about the potential of nano technology and even
critical about the ongoing research and propaganda about nano technology.

The term nano technology was popularized by a book written by K. Eric Drexler,
nanotechnology visionary in a book of ‘future history’ called Engines of Creation. Drexler used
the word to describe his vision of a world where molecular manufacturing would allow people to
manufacture anything they might need – from automobiles to pieces of beef – simply by feeding
waste material into a box that would use nano scale assemblers to re-configure it into the
necessary form. Jamie Dinkelacker, in his paper Transitions to Tomorrow (2002),
Nanotechnology heralds a new industrial era, a ‘Molecular Epoch’ that involves major social
changes. The advances in science have been achieving near total control over the structure of
matter. He viewed that the era of nano technology promises “novel materials and capabilities,
leading to novel living patterns, new ways of socializing, and yielding fresh approaches to
cooperation and competition. He speculates that nanotechnology offers the potential for global
material abundance, and it is the loss of scarcity that has the “potential for dramatic social
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change. Especially, the molecular nano technology has the ability to “programme matter with
molecular precision”. In ‘Why the Future Doesn’t Need Us’( 2000), Bill Joy, chief scientist of
Sun Microsystems, also adopts the radical conception of nanotechnology, where the “replicating
and evolving processes that have been confined to the natural world are about to become realms
of human endeavor”. Joy accepts that nanotechnology, coupled with advances in genetics and
robotics, is highly revolutionary and transformative.

George M Whitesides, an experimental surface chemist and pioneer of new nanotechnology

techniques, in his article The Once and Future Nanomachine (2001), is much more skeptical
about the radical view of nano technology. He contends that nanotechnology could learn much
from biology. Rather projecting the magnitude of nano technology and the nano machines, he
appraises the developments in biology and chemistry, on which nano technology is based.
Whitesides seems reluctant to believe that new forms of sophisticated nanoscale machines are
feasible, particularly not from scaling down macro-machines. Instead, “biology and chemistry,
not a mechanical engineering textbook” may hold solutions for nanotechnology. Whitesides is
skeptical that the Drexlerian vision of molecular manufacturing is possible, though he does not
explicitly rule it out.

Richard E Smalley, chemist and the Nobel Prize winner for the discovery of fullerenes in 1996,
in Of Chemistry, Love and Nanobots (2001) too is skeptical as Whitesides. For Smalley,
chemistry is the most effective method of molecular manipulation, as atoms perform a “complex
dance involving motion in multiple dimensions” in chemical reactions. He argues that nanobots
or assemblers “are simply not possible in our world”, due to constraints imposed by the
limitations of the scale. In his view, the need to control all the atoms surrounding the reaction
site would require so many manipulators that there would not be room, while the atoms forming
the nanobot would themselves bond with the atoms to be manipulated. Whitesides, and Smalley
represent the scientific argument against the radical viewpoint; they are particularly skeptical that
the Drexlerian vision of molecular manufacturing is feasible. These highly respected scientists
argue that this conception of nanotechnology does not fit within the laws of physics and
chemistry as they operate on the nanoscale, or is redundant due to the superior power of
biological processes.

Drexler’s vision for nanotechnology is one of the atomic precision and perfect and complete
control over molecular reactions. It is essentially an engineer’s vision. Smalley’s vision in turn,
insists on production of detectable and controllable phenomena, and takes a crucial part of
scientific activity the manipulation and stabilization of the phenomena. This is essentially a
chemist’s vision. The writing on nanotechnology has been discussed in terms of two dimensions:
its conception of nanotechnology and its perception of the possible social and economic effects.
There is an emerging concern that the needs of society to be considered as part of the
development process and that nanotechnologists not be left alone to dictate what materialises.
This implies that any assessment of possible social and economic effects be incorporated into
this process as early as possible, and hence that social science, as a major provider of such
understanding, can help shape the future of nanotechnology.

3.8 SOCIAL AND ETHICAL IMPLICATIONS OF NANO TECHNOLOGY

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Many of the applications arising from nanotechnology may be the result of the convergence of
several technologies. The technological development and its implementation do not operate in a
vacuum, and nanotechnology will be influenced by other scientific developments, social
reactions, and local and global politics. The extreme supporters claim that nanotechnology can
rebuild the human body from within and effectively abolish death, while its critics fear that
instead, it could do away with life, by turning the surface of the Earth into an uninhabitable grey
mass. However, the social science reading can help us understand nanotechnology in a better
way than technological deterministic view. Nanotechnology in relation to society has to explore
the driving forces behind the technology development process and the issues of inequities and
economic divides and how society deals with risks under uncertainty. There are further
apprehensions about nanotechnology since its closeness to market forces and research is mostly
carried by the interests of advanced nations and market forces in corporate laboratories. Nano is
a big business. National Science Foundation of USA predicts that nano-related goods and
services could be $ 1 trillion market by 2015. It is the fastest growing industry than any other in
the recent history.

While nanotechnology offers opportunities for society, it also involves profound social and
environmental risks, not only because it is an enabling technology to the biotech industry, but
also because it involves atomic manipulation and will make possible the fusing of the biological
world and the mechanical. There is a critical need to evaluate the social implications of all
nanotechnologies. There is a possibility that domination of nano-robos in every day life will
make human intervention difficult, if not impossible. Another risk is that the hazard posed to
human life and health by nano particles inhaled in the factory and elsewhere. Environmentalists
also question the safety of nanoparticles. The first concerns the biological and chemical effects
of nanoparticles on human bodies or natural ecosystems; the second concerns the issue of
leakage, spillage, circulation, and concentration of nanoparticles that would cause a hazard to
bodies or ecosystems. The potential dangers of nano technology include rampant nano-devices,
military weapons, or invasive surveillance. On ethical side, the issues of intellectual property as
well as the access of nano technology to developing countries have to be addressed. The public
policies to protect our society from harmful developments are another concern based on strong
foundations of ethics.

If technology is fascinated towards control and over taking of nature, nanotechnology is mainly
concerned with the control of nature at the most basic level, i.e. level of atomic building blocks.
However, Nanotechnology has been generating new ethical dilemmas and in future we have to
necessarily negotiate with a big deal of uncertainties. The ethical theories have to be
reformulated with changing context that had predominantly influenced by nanotechnology.
Nanoethics have emerged as a new field of applied ethics that looks at the issues of right and
wrong in the development and application of nanotechnology. (Lin and Allhoff, 2007)

3.9 DEMOCRATIZATION OF TECHNOLOGY

Philosophers are concerned about the technology and came with different perspectives of
philosophy of technology. Two dominant streams in this regard are theories of technological
determinism and social construction. The interface of technology and society and rational and
ethical understanding of that situation is the main concern of the philosophers. The Marxists
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though find technology as a means of liberation argues for a socialization of its wealth by
abolition of classes. They view a harmony between man and nature against the alienation. The
phenomenologist Heidegger considers technology is not a simplification of artifacts, but an all
encompassing world view that revealing the world. Objects enter into our experience only in so
far as we notice their usefulness in the technological system. He also believes that releasing from
this needs a new mode of revealing, but he has no idea how revealing come and go. The
pragmatic thinker John Dewey considers scientific theories and logic are tools used in a certain
social practices. So the success of technology depends upon its usefulness. Herbert Marcuse, the
Frankfort school thinker in One Dimensional Man (1964) argues that technology leads to a new
form of domination in industrial society. He forwards a view that restoration of harmony of man
and nature through new science and technology. It requires the abolition of class society.
Hebermas contests the Marcuse’s new science and technology as a romantic myth. He argues
that problems of capitalist modernity are due to obstacles it places in the way of rationalization in
its moral- practical sphere. Andrew Feenberg by consolidating these debates in Questioning
Technology (1999) argues that society is organized around technology. Technological power is
the principal form of power in the society. Feenberg’s major focus and distinctive position within
current debates on technology has an emphasis on democratic potential for the social
reconstruction of technology. Feenberg rejects both neutralist positions which see technology as
a mere instrument of human practice, amenable to any and all projects and uses, and determinist
notions which see it as an instrument of domination in the hands of ruling elites whose very
construction determines the uses, limits, and applications of technology. Instead he sees
technology as a contested field where individuals and social groups can struggle to influence and
change technological design such that the very construction of technology is subject to
democratic debate and contestation. He proposes for a possibility of alternative rationalizations,
alternative modernity through alternative politics. Feenberg is interested in the possibility of
alternative rationalizations, particularly forms of rationalization necessary for socialism, which
would embody responsibility for humanity. He strongly proposes that a technological society
requires a democratic public sphere sensitive to technical affairs.
Most of these perspectives are evolved from the reflections on industrial society. These views
have relevance for the context of nanosociety too. Nano technology has not only going to change
significantly but also producing inequalities in society through monopoly of technology and
control over many nations and social groups. Democratization of the nanotechnology is an
immediate concern as raised by the conscious scholars and civil society organizations. Rather
negating the technology per se, we can shape the technology with our social and ethical concerns
emerged out of our struggles for democracy. Currently, corporations, developed nations,
entrepreneurs and technologists are the main driving forces behind nano technology. Mostly the
research and its products are market oriented. There is a need to understand the driving forces
and the process of decision making in relation to nano technological development. Nano
technology is invariably related with information technology and biotechnology. As a result,
nanotechnology has become crucial for economic growth of nations. At this juncture, political
regulation and consensus is required to control technological change.

There are consensus and campaigns in civil society from different sections on the issue of nano
technology for its future implications to humanity. Their concerns are mainly for
democratization of technology and egalitarian social order. It is argued that the point is not that
the technologies are bad… [but] the evaluation of powerful new technologies requires broad
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social discussion and preparation”. Sue Mayer(2002), who sees parallels between the emergence
of nanotechnology and of genetically modified (GM) 15-20 years ago. The lack of democratic
consultation keeps the assessment of any risk within the realm of the ‘expert’; the public is then
considered ignorant, and the authorities attempt to calm any fears with ‘sound science’, a concept
that to Mayer is shaped “not by scientific facts but by its political, social, economic and cultural
context”. Mayer’s concerns, however, extend beyond the lack of democracy in technological
development to the effects that this may have over the safety of nanoparticles for humanity and
the environment. Moreover alternatives will not have been explored and the economic benefits of
nanotechnology may be less than they would be if the public had been involved in its design. The
perceived lack of democratic consultation also raises concerns regarding the control and
ownership of the technology, the possibility of its monopolisation and the “implications of
corporate control over matter.” ETC, Action Group on Erosion, Technology and Concentration
envisages that the recent trend of the control of technology development being lost to the public
arena, the “privatisation of science and a staggering concentration of power in the hands of giant
multinational enterprises” will be further reinforced by nanotechnology. In ETC’s picture of the
future, the “control of the technology will accrue to those with power and the commercialisation
of the technology will inevitably give them greater monopoly control”. ETC does not trust big
business, or governments, to use this knowledge, power and control ethically. Allied to these
issues of monopoly and control is the negative vision that nanotechnology will reinforce global
inequalities between rich and poor. It dismisses the eradication of poverty as a myth propagated
by the enthusiastic nanotechnologists. The commercial forces are purely concerned with profit.
Comparing the dawning of a nanotechnology revolution to previous industrial revolutions, ETC
raises the question of “a decline in the well-being of poor people and increased disparity between
rich and poor”, as only those with sufficient wealth may have access to the technology. In other
words, ETC predicts a future in which the ruling elite has “unlimited surveillance capacity” at
the nanoscale leading to an Orwellian scenario of “Big Cyborg Brother”.

Check Your Progress II

Note: Use the space provided for your answers.
1) Explain the nature and scope of nanotechnology.
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2) Critically examine the social and ethical implications of nanotechnology.
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3) Evaluate the perspectives of philosophy of technology with reference to nanotechnology.
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3.10 LET US SUM UP

Nanotechnology is an important development in our society that going to revolutionize our lives
in a grand way. Nanotechnology involves working with matter at the atomic or molecular scale.
It is a technology of rearranging and processing of atoms and molecules to fabricate materials to
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nano specifications such as a nanometre. It is a result of convergence of several technologies.

Nano technology is set to bring about a fundamental change in several areas- materials science,
electronics, information technology, biology, medicine- and is expected to profoundly change the
pattern and standard of life of people. Apart from advantages, it has serious social ethical
implications. Nanotechnology projects a new world and also brings with it new social problems.
From these ethical dilemmas evolved a new discipline called nanoethics. Philosophers are
predicting that we have to negotiate with a big deal of uncertainties and chaotic situation with the
advent of nanotechnology. Apart from the risks and threats of nanotechnology, control and
monopoly of this technology in the hands of advanced nations and corporate companies’
interests is another critical concern. Democratization of nanotechnology, in its design and
application, is the prime concern in the discourse of philosophy of technology and the struggles
from civil society.

3.11 KEY WORDS

Nano technology, Nano scale, Atomic rearrangement, Scanning Tunneling Microscopy, Nano
particles, ETC group, Philosophy of technology, Technological Determinism, Social
construction, Democratization, Public participation

3.12 SUGGESTED READINGS/REFERENCES

Drexler, K. Eric Engines of Creation, The Coming Era of Nanotechnology. Oxford: Oxford
University Press, 1996.

Feenberg, Andrew. Questioning Technology. Routledge, 1999.

Hans Fogelberg and Hans Glimell. Bringing Visibility to the Invisible: Towards a Social
Understanding of Nano Technology. Goteborgs University, STS Research Reports. No.6. 2003.

http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0014/001459/145951e.pdf
http://www.esrc.ac.uk/_images/challenges_of_nanotechnology_tcm8-13557.pdf
http://www.etcgroup.org/en/issues/nanotechnology
http://www.sts.gu.se/digitalAssets/1030/1030390_STS_report_6.pdf
Lin and Allhoff, Fritz. Nanoethics: The Ethical and Social Implications of Nanotechnology.
Wiley Interscience, 2007.

Marcuse, Herbert. One Dimensional Man, Studies in the Ideologies of Advanced Industrial
Society. Boston: Beacon, 1964.

Mathuna, Donald P.O’. Nanoethics-Big Ethical issues with Small Technology, London:
Continuum International Publishing Group, 2009.

Mohan Sunder Rajan. NANO:The Next Revolution. Delhi: National Book Trust, 2009.

Richard E Smalley. Of Chemistry, Love and Nanobots. American Scientific. September,2001.

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Schummer, Joachim and Davis Baird. Eds. Nanotechnology Challenges, Implications for
Philosophy, Ethics and Society. Singapore: World Scientific Publishing, 2006.

Stephen Wood, Richard Jones and Alison Geldart. The Social and Economic Challenges of Nano
Technology. ESRC. Economic and Social Research Council Report, 2006.

UNESCO Report. Ethics and Politics of Nano Technology. 2006.