Re: POLITICS: Avoiding nuclear anarchy

Michael Lorrey (retroman@tpk.net)
Mon, 06 Jan 1997 20:17:47 -0500


Hal Finney wrote:
>
> From: N.BOSTROM@lse.ac.uk
> > by many on this list. At least at first sight, it seems that
> > a reformed and strengthened United Nation would be the best
> > suited institution to supervise the use of very dangerous
> > technologies. I know the mere mention of the UN probably
> > causes some people here to want to throw up. The alternative
> > would perhaps be a world where USA plays the international
> > big brother role, but this raises many problems of moral
> > authority, financing etc. etc.
>
>
> On the other hand, there is obviously no guarantee that any particular
> organization is going to handle these technologies honestly or safely.
> Whether UN or USA, there is plenty of precedent for behavior which would
> not make us want to trust them.
>
> I want to see a free world, but I don't want my kids melting down into
> gray goo or dieing from a tailored virus. It is far from clear how to
> steer between the problems.
>
> Hal

So we choose between the Great Satan and the Satan yet to come? Am I
hearing echo's of Niven's ARM? If such dangers are a result of the
combined resources of large corporate or governmental research entities,
then that is an argument for Mikin like anti trust action, as well as
additional motivation for getting off this planet, to avoid the freindly
fire.

-- 
TANSTAAFL!!!

Michael Lorrey ------------------------------------------------------------ President retroman@tpk.net Northstar Technologies Agent Lorrey@ThePentagon.com Inventor of the Lorrey Drive Silo_1013@ThePentagon.com

Website: http://www.tpk.net/~retroman/ Now Featuring: My Own Nuclear Espionage Agency (MONEA) http://www.tpk.net/~retroman/MONEA1.htm MIKEYMAS(tm): The New Internet Holiday http://www.tpk.net/~retroman/mikymas1.htm Transhumans of New Hampshire (>HNH) http://www.tpk.net/~retroman/TRANSHNH.htm ------------------------------------------------------------ Transhumanist, Inventor, Webmaster, Ski Guide, Entrepreneur, Artist, Outdoorsman, Libertarian, Certified Genius. ------------------------------------------------------------ If I saw further than others, it is because I had an unjoggled view from standing on my own two feet. - Mike Lorrey