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From Speculative Nanoethics to Explorative Philosophy of Nanotechnology

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Abstract

In the wake of the emergence and rapid development of nanoethics there swiftly followed fundamental criticism: nanoethics was said to have become much too involved with speculative developments and was concerning itself too little with actually pending questions of nanotechnology design and applications. If this diagnosis is true, then large parts of nanoethics are misguided. Such fundamental criticism must surely either result in a radical reorientation of nanoethics or be refuted for good reasons. In this paper, I will examine the critics’ central arguments and, building on this scrutiny, formulate an answer to these alternatives. The results lead to conclusions which allow explaining and unfolding the thesis of this paper that instead of speculative nanoethics we should better speak of and develop explorative philosophy of nanotechnology.

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Notes

  1. In this paper some quotes are taken from Nordmann and Rip [25] which is a two-page editorial rather than a full research paper. However, this editorial summarizes earlier work of the authors. It is grounded on research (e.g. the recently finished [6] project of the European Commission) and summarizes very sharply and precisely the criticisms. That makes it attractive to take quotes from it.

  2. There are some similarities in the arguments given above with the analysis of [27]. Emphasizing the need for an epistemological view on futures in this section, however, goes beyond her approach.

  3. The cost-benefit analysis approach discussed by [27].

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  1. Institut für Technikfolgenabschätzung und Systemanalyse (ITAS), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), P.O. box 36 40, 76021, Karlsruhe, Germany

    Armin Grunwald

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Grunwald, A. From Speculative Nanoethics to Explorative Philosophy of Nanotechnology. Nanoethics 4, 91–101 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11569-010-0088-5

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