Ethics in Nanotechnology

Nanotechnology has transformed into a rapidly growing field of research in areas including medicine, environment and food production. This paper will specifically discuss the progress and ethics behind nanotechnology in medicine. As with many evolving technologies, there are often various ethical debates that accompany its development. Because much of what nanotechnology can do remains unknown, the majority of the ethical debates have been dealing with the possibility of the future and potential capabilities of nanotechnology. With respect to the actual technology of nanoparticles, especially in medicine, there are ethical questions concerning how far nanotechnology will be able to improve the human body and if possible, whether nanotechnology should be able to alter our definitions of disease, enhancement and humanity. The issue of transhumanism and the use of nanotechnology to make major improvements to a healthy human body is a topic of much ethical discussion. In order to create a real life scenario, I will place myself in charge of a research facility in which I must choose whether to invest time into transhumanist research, or continue to focus on the developments of nanotechnology as a cure for various illnesses. Lastly, there is a growing concern over what will become of our definition of disease because under the new nanotechnology, any disorder of any individual cell will be detected. To further examine this ethical debate, I will put myself in the position of a doctor whom has gotten the results back for a test showing minimal signs of contaminated cells. Before attempting to understand these ethical debates, it is important to comprehend all that nanotechnology has to offer in terms of great medical advancements in disease detection and treatment.