Rationale
Nanoscale technologies are currently surrounded by both hype and fear. Optimists suggest that these technologies are desperately needed to solve problems of terrorism, global warming, the shortage of clean water, land degradation and health. Pessimists fear the loss of privacy and loss of autonomy, "grey goo" and weapons of mass destruction, and serious environmental and health risks. There is also concern about the fair distribution of the costs and benefits of the technology.
The field needs a forum for informed discussion of ethical and social issues related to nanotechnology to counterbalance popular discussions and fragmented representation of opinions and findings. NanoEthics: Ethics for Technologies that Converge at the Nanoscale provides this forum.
Nature of the journal
This journal will be a multidisciplinary forum for exploration of issues presented by converging technology applications. While the central focus of the journal will be on the ethical issues, it is recognized that these discussions must be informed by, at least, the physical, biological and social sciences and the law.
Focus
NanoEthics: Ethics for Technologies that Converge at the Nanoscale will focus on the philosophically and scientifically rigorous examination of the ethical and societal considerations and the public and policy concerns inherent in nanotechnology research and development. These issues include both individual and societal problems, and include individual health, wellbeing and human enhancement, human integrity and autonomy, distribution of the costs and benefits, threats to culture and tradition and to political and economic stability. Additionally there are meta-issues including the neutrality or otherwise of technology, designing technology in a value-sensitive way, and the control of scientific research.
Readership and Editorial Board
This journal will be of interest to researchers, scholars and students in the various disciplines related to nanotechnology, and to scientific and technological policymakers. The composition of the editorial board reflects the multidisciplinary approach of the journal.