納米技術(shù)被炒作和恐懼包圍著。樂觀主義者表示，他們迫切需要解決恐怖主義、全球變暖、清潔水、土地退化和公共衛(wèi)生等問題。悲觀主義者擔(dān)心失去隱私和自主，“灰色粘液”和大規(guī)模殺傷性武器，以及不可預(yù)見的環(huán)境和健康風(fēng)險(xiǎn)。對(duì)納米技術(shù)成本和效益的公平分配的擔(dān)憂也在上升。2007年推出的《納米倫理學(xué)：在納米尺度上融合的技術(shù)倫理學(xué)》提供了一個(gè)必要的論壇，用于就與納米技術(shù)有關(guān)的倫理和社會(huì)問題進(jìn)行知情討論，并與分散的大眾討論相抗衡。雖然該雜志的中心焦點(diǎn)是倫理問題，但討論范圍擴(kuò)大到了物理、生物和社會(huì)科學(xué)以及法律。納米倫理學(xué)從哲學(xué)和科學(xué)角度對(duì)納米技術(shù)提出的倫理和社會(huì)考慮以及政策問題進(jìn)行了嚴(yán)格的審查。

Nanoscale technologies are surrounded by both hype and fear. Optimists suggest they are desperately needed to solve problems of terrorism, global warming, clean water, land degradation and public health. Pessimists fear the loss of privacy and autonomy, "grey goo" and weapons of mass destruction, and unforeseen environmental and health risks. Concern over fair distribution of the costs and benefits of nanotechnology is also rising.Introduced in 2007, NanoEthics: Ethics for Technologies that Converge at the Nanoscale provides a needed forum for informed discussion of ethical and social concerns related to nanotechnology, and a counterbalance to fragmented popular discussion.While the central focus of the journal is on ethical issues, discussion extends to the physical, biological and social sciences and the law. NanoEthics provides a philosophically and scientifically rigorous examination of ethical and societal considerations and policy concerns raised by nanotechnology.