Hacker Newsnew | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submitlogin

Could you provide some data to support your opinion?


Every WMD program in existence? The apparatus of our surveillance states? Private companies and wealthy individuals would not pusure these things because it would be illegal and also pointless. Only governments want and pursue stuff like this. Of course, plenty of government directed research and government funded research is positive, but the private sector is intertwined with all that (funding and execution) and it's not true to say just because the government funded something it wouldn't have happened otherwise. At the extreme you have states like USSR and North Korea that spend almost everything on ghastly projects.


"Government research leads to all things WMD"

How does your post support this opinion?


I don't now what you mean. Do you deny that WMD programs exist?


No, and I never said or hinted that they don't exist. We are trying to establish how much of the research budget is spend on them.


It's not about the money that is wasted in developing them, it is about the consequences of their existence.


Again, that's not what we're discussing.


Did you think my argument was that when the government directs and funds research, they disproportionately waste it on WMDs? No, my argument was that big government research spending leads to monstrosities that would otherwise not even exist.




Consider applying for YC's Summer 2026 batch! Applications are open till May 4

Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: