Norbert Wiener: The Eccentric Genius Whose Time May Have Finally Come (Again)

theatlantic.com

10 points·MichaelAO··2 comments

This is actually a pretty good article. It points out that Wiener "refused, for ethical reasons, to accept research contracts from the military or from corporations seeking to exploit his ideas". If the article had given an explanation of "exploit", this would be very informative, as well as intereesting. How many other scientists refuse grants for ethical reasons like Wiener's? Was Wiener just being weird?

In the '70's a research equipment supplier named Instruments for Research & Industry (now part of Glas-Col) would not sell to the military. Company was founded in 1939, I do not know if that was their policy as far back as WWII but it definitely was during Vietnam War.

Since those times as a teenager my greatest hesitation to growth is due to the possibility of my technology getting out of control with negative net consequences, and have put significant effort to avoid that happening.

Over 40years the one constant which would appear to allow growth without this risk is to choose a capitalist more carefully than one would choose me.

I may be weird but I'm not just being weird.

I was influenced by Wall Street (I was a teenage stockbroker) and would still look forward to a corporation exploiting one of my efforts in a positive way if the structure was properly supportive.

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