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From: tan@ihlpg.UUCP (Bill Tanenbaum)
Newsgroups: net.physics,net.sci
Subject: Re: What's All This, Then (Workshop on Exploding Particle Accelerators)
Message-ID: <1617@ihlpg.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 10-Feb-86 18:26:50 EST
Article-I.D.: ihlpg.1617
Posted: Mon Feb 10 18:26:50 1986
Date-Received: Wed, 12-Feb-86 06:29:42 EST
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Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
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Xref: watmath net.physics:3841 net.sci:521

> 
> Isn't it funny? When molecular biologists started working with recombinant
> DNA, there were actually bozos who thought it was dangerous!!!!! :-(
> 
> We must be careful with technologies that are not well understood.
> Molecular biologists worked with extreme care and precautions until
> it was found that recombinant DNA from non-pathogenic organisms is
> harmless. I wish that physicists had exercised the same caution
> when exploding the first fission and fusion bombs. I am not certain
> about the historical development, but it seems to me that *at the
> time* of the first atomic bomb, there was no way to exclude the
> possibility of starting a chain reaction in the atmosphere or ground
> with a reasonable degree of certainty. It does not matter whether
> it turned out to be 'harmless' after all, if there is the possibility
> that an experiment endangers the survival of our whole species, it
> is irresponsible and criminal to conduct it.
> 
> 						Thomas.
---
ANY new experiment POSSIBLY may endanger the survival of our species.
Unless you are willing to define:
	1) What is a reasonable degree of certainty?
	2) Who decides what the probability for disaster
	of a given experiment are?  By what criteria?
	3) Should or should not the possible benefits of such an
	experiment be weighed in the balance?  Who judges the benefits?
such talk is meaningless.
-- 
Bill Tanenbaum - AT&T Bell Labs - Naperville IL  ihnp4!ihlpg!tan