ABSTRACT
The world of nanotechnology is full of folk theories. This chapter presents clusters of folk theories that are in the nano-world, indicating why they must be positioned as folk theories rather than entering into detailed discussion of their content. The other folk theory is the wow-yuck pattern and its generality. Interestingly, and indicative of the uses to which folk theories of general patterns can be put, is the curious dialectics in the line of thinking. In the dominant folk theory of scientists and technologists about the public and its reactions, members of the public are seen as empty vessels, to be filled with understanding of science to avoid emotional reactions running riot. Some considerations are part of resource mobilization strategies of scientists, when they have to indicate the promise of their projects and programmes. Specifically, scientists and technologists are prone to project nano-phobia, and this projection can become a phobia in itself, a nanophobia-phobia.
