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From: iic@dcs.ed.ac.uk (Ian Clarke)
Subject: Re: Has anyone written a genuinely evolving computer virus?
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References: <DIHzxs.HMM.0.staffin.dcs.ed.ac.uk@dcs.ed.ac.uk> <Ted.Belding-2311952020040001@pm054-07.dialip.mich.net>
Date: Mon, 27 Nov 1995 10:47:26 GMT
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In article <Ted.Belding-2311952020040001@pm054-07.dialip.mich.net>, Ted.Belding@umich.edu (Theodore C. Belding) writes:
> In article <DIHzxs.HMM.0.staffin.dcs.ed.ac.uk@dcs.ed.ac.uk>,
> iic@dcs.ed.ac.uk (Ian Clarke) wrote:
> 
> > I realise that some may consider even the mere contemplation of such a
> program as
> > wreckless, however the possibility of creating a form of life, which has the
> > potential to escape the artificial womb which we create and survive in
> the real
> > world, must be investigated.
> 
> I have to take issue with that last statement.  Why "must" this be investigated?
> I do hope that you think about the consequences of whatever research you do,
> whether or not you end up doing it.  Otherwise, you are being rather
> irresponsible.  At the very least, you should implement appropriate safeguards.
> -Ted

Ian Clarke writes:
Because I consider myself a scientist, it is not my responsibility to restrict my
areas of interest, if I should discover something potentially dangerous then provided
that I am responsible when I deal with it, it is the responsibility of the rest of
society to prevent it's misuse.  Anyway, the moral issues aside, does anyone think it
would be an interesting idea?

-- 
|IAN CLARKE Email: I.Clarke@sms.ed.ac.uk  "All that we see, or appear |
|                  iic@dcs.ed.ac.uk       to see is but a dream within|
|I.Clarke@ed.ac.uk ianc@aisb.ed.ac.uk     a dream" - Poe              |
