Nanoscience, Ethics and Progress: The Poor and Advanced Technologies

Over the past decade, a considerable amount of funding and attention has been given to the emerging field of nanotechnology, the potential of which has been verified by many technical experts, across disciplines, as nanoscience is considered to be a true convergence science. The current paper recognizes the great potential of nanoscience and its possible products, while also it considers the context of the emergence of nanotechnology or advanced technologies. Specifically, the focus is on the poor and their needs, which can be met with qualified technologies, low, high or advanced, within the context of global civil society involving the globalized economic system and how the technology agenda is set. The Millennium Development Goals are now more than a decade old, and are still distant, despite great wealth, know-how and technological advancement. Without a specific focus on the needs of the poor, they may fall into abstraction as nanotechnology is promoted to address their needs, without them significantly benefitting from the new science. As a tool for global civil society, meta-innovations, within current economic conditions, such as the Health Impact Fund, could help to create access to life sustaining technologies.