A Basis for Action - Commission de l'éthique de la science et de la ...

Position Statement of the Commission de l'éthique de la science et de la technologie
Responsible approaches to dealing with risk...........................................................................36
The precautionary principle ...........................................................................................................36
A few clarifications........................................................................................................................... 37
Action steps....................................................................................................................................... 40
The “life cycle” approach from the perspective of sustainable development .......................42
CHAPTER 3 – NANOTECHNOLOGY: ETHICAL CONCERNS............................45
Fundamental requirements as premises...................................................................................45
The need to establish common scientific terminology and nomenclature.............................45
The importance of establishing procedures and standards.......................................................47
The pursuit of research and the dissemination of results .........................................................47
Ethical concerns about products derived from nanotechnology.........................................48
Human health...................................................................................................................................49
Health and safety .............................................................................................................................. 49
Protecting the workers............................................................................................................................ 49
Protecting the public............................................................................................................................... 52
Health sector applications ............................................................................................................... 54
Ethics of biomedical research.................................................................................................................. 54
Diagnostics and therapeutic applications................................................................................................. 56
The environment .............................................................................................................................58
Security ..............................................................................................................................................60
In the military sector ........................................................................................................................ 60
A few examples of “nanomilitary” applications ...................................................................................... 61
An overview of ethical concerns............................................................................................................... 62
In civil society ................................................................................................................................... 63
The convergence of knowledge and technology ........................................................................64
Human identity in a context of performance enhancement....................................................... 65
Humankind’s relationship with nature .......................................................................................... 67
Ethical concerns not limited to nanotechnology....................................................................68
Concerns related to governance....................................................................................................68
Legitimacy and transparency of the decision-making process.................................................... 69
Oversight and accountability measures ......................................................................................... 72
Concerns related to economic activity associated with nanotechnology................................73
Ethical choices in the development of Québec economic activity associated with
nanotechnology................................................................................................................................. 73
The nano-divide in a context of globalized markets.................................................................... 75
Guiding nanotechnology R&D............................................................................................................. 75
Possessing nanotechnology expertise ....................................................................................................... 76
Intellectual property and patent management .............................................................................. 76
Collecting personal information..................................................................................................... 79
Concerns related to citizenship and technological innovation.................................................81
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Ethics and Nanotechnology:
A Basis for Action