Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sun-barr!apple!limbo!taylor
From: thom@dewey.soe.Berkeley.EDU (Thom Gillespie)
Newsgroups: comp.society
Subject: Re: Computers as weapons
Message-ID: <1756@limbo.Intuitive.Com>
Date: 11 Feb 91 18:25:14 GMT
Sender: taylor@limbo.Intuitive.Com
Organization: School of Education, UC-Berkeley
Lines: 23
Approved: taylor@Limbo.Intuitive.Com

I'm not sure what started this thread at all, but I don't think the
question is whether it is 'wrong to design weapons for the military.'  I
think the question is whether we should spend any of our lifetime
designing tools which kill life.

The people of the United States of America have spent more time, money,
and effort designing and building for destruction than any people in the
history of the world.  Why have so many spent so much of their lives
designing death?  Why was Dresden fire bombed beyond belief?  Why wasn't
the atomic bomb dropped in the sea just off Tokyo?  What purpose did
Viet Nam serve?  What purpose does Iraq serve?  Is there a qualitative
or ethical difference between Iraqs chemical weapons and the the
phosphorus and napalm we dropped on VietNam and the fuel bombs we want
to drop on Iraq?  Are the designers of the 'smart' weapons better people
than the designers of napalm or phosphorus?  Are the dead happier?  Are
fewer people dying as our technology improves?  Is this a useful use of
our time on this planet?  Can we think of a more life affirming way of
spending our lives here?

Stripped of all rationalizing you come down to a decision to spend your
lifetime destroying life?  Why?

Thom Gillespie