I’m pretty drained after spending the better part of the last 24 hours reading and reviewing Steve Pavlina’s book. However there’s one thing that really stood out for me and I wanted to capture it in words.
Let’s assume that you created an innovative piece of technology or discovered some brilliant insight into human nature. When you shared it with other people, would you consider the ethical ramifications? If yes, what system of ethics would you use – your own?
I’ll consider three examples -
- Genetic Cloning.
- A new technology that can be used for peaceful and non peaceful purposes let’s say a dis-integrator gun.
- A particularly effective way to influence people.
Take any one of these – Is it more important to spread this knowledge just for the knowledge itself? Or so that it can benefit humanity? or to get fame for yourself? or is it more important to keep it private because of the destruction it could havoc?
Basically what I really am pondering is – how do you further science and human evolution without letting your own personal ethics get in the way? Or is it that your ethics are always the gatekeeper?
Filed under: kindle Tagged: | ethics, hard decisions
The answer is rather obvious. Technology that can be used for good should be used/shared/manufactured.
People are going to use technology for better or worse no matter what you do. Airplanes and helicopters are used to save people everyday yet they have been used in times of war.
Should they never have been invented? Would we be better off without them?
No, of course not. Think of all the good that has come out of inventions that can be misused for bad purposes and you will find that the goodness ususally outweighs the bad.