title: Mega-sized concerns from the nano-sized world: the intersection of nano- and environmental ethics.
abstract: As rapid advances in nanotechnology are made, we must set guidelines to balance the interests of both human beneficiaries and the environment by combining nanoethics and environmental ethics. In this paper, I reject Leopoldian holism as a practical environmental ethic with which to gauge nanotechnologies because, as a nonanthropocentric ethic, it does not value the humans who will actually use the ethic. Weak anthropocentrism is suggested as a reasonable alternative to ethics without a substantial human interest, as it treats nonhuman interests as human interests. I also establish the precautionary principle as a useful situational guideline for decision makers. Finally, I examine existing and potential applications of nanotechnology, including water purification, agriculture, mining, energy, and pollutant removal, from the perspective of weak anthropocentrism using the precautionary principle.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA. pattia@udel.edu
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Attia
mesh_terms: D003657:Decision Making / Q000941:ethics; D004777:Environment; D004782:Environmental Health; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006801:Humans; D007221:Industry; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000941:ethics*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012941:Social Responsibility