  Manufacturing materials and systems with components thousands of times
smaller than the width of a human hair promises vast and sometimes unimaginable
advances in technology. Yet the term nanotechnology has formed as much from
people's expectations as from scientific reality. Understanding the creation
and context of this social construction can help us appreciate and guide what
may be a burgeoning revolution. This chapter considers what different groups
are referring to when they say nanotechnology, how this relates to the science
involved, and how the various definitions of this broad field of endeavor might
be improved. The ramifications and implications of these seemingly innocuous
naming choices are also discussed. Although in many respects nanotechnology
serves as cover justification for increased spending in the physical sciences,
at present it is the most hopeful route to solving some of the planet's
greatest problems.
