smk@linus.UUCP (Steven M. Kramer) (12/04/83)
Sure, DoD spends money on warheads. They also spend money on useful
research like the ARPANET. To say one who accepts money from DoD is
furthering the cause of war is not wholly true. I would never work
on missles
or in any way promote their use. I've turned own jobs to do just
that. On the other hand, I (second-hand) get DoD money to secure
computers. Securing computers is a defensive task, not offensive.
Because one of the tasks of the DoD is to build nasty projectiles,
one cannot condemn other things it does.
It's the purpose of the project that matters, not the source of
the money. I think of DoD as the channel of the money between the
taxpayers and ultimately my company and me. I am tempted to draw
an analogy between stereotyping and the problems people have with
ANY task supported by DoD.
--
--steve kramer
{allegra,genrad,ihnp4,utzoo,philabs,uw-beaver}!linus!smk (UUCP)
linus!smk@mitre-bedford (MIL)gds@mit-eddie.UUCP (Greg Skinner) (12/08/83)
The issue of DoD monies being spent raises another issue related to this -- namely the ethics of persons involved with government sponsored research (like DARPA). In my software engineering class someone raised this question to a representative from SofTech who was there to talk about testing software systems. One which was mentioned was the Ada compiler and its future use in weapons systems. As a person who will soon be entering the job market who is not thrilled about the arms race but is mainly interested in the type of communications research that only DARPA does, I would tend to say that DARPA sponsored research is not weapons research. One must make the distinction between DEFENSE and OFFENSE. A packet switch network that operates in the aftermath of a nuclear holocaust is not an OFFENSIVE weapon. However, an MX missile warhead IS an OFFENSIVE weapon. The fine line, I guess, is drawn at the Ada software which may be controlling the MX missile's guidance system. Then it is up to the individual to decide whether or not he feels he is compromising his principles to be working on something that plays a direct role in nuclear war. But generally, DARPA monies go to research of the former type of development. I tell myself this when I consider places to work, and console myself that I won't actually be designing anything that will actually kill people. --greg ...decvax!genrad!mit-eddie!gds (uucp) gds%mit-eddie@mit-mc (arpa)