From: utzoo!utcsrgv!utcsstat!wagner
Newsgroups: net.followup
Title: Re: Computers and Society; Foresight and Technology
Article-I.D.: utcsstat.331
Posted: Thu Sep 23 08:02:42 1982
Received: Thu Sep 23 08:29:57 1982
References: whuxk.118

So far, most of what I have read on this topic has taken the 
attitude that exploration of future technology and its impact
will lead to a go/nogo decision by someone/some agency.
It would be nice if the study of a product would result in
significant changes to minimize the undesirable social effects,
but simply publishing the results of the study would be of 
significant social value.  As for who should make decisions
to withdraw products ("how could we withdraw cars now"), it is
to be hoped that the availability of good product evaluations
would force obviously bad products off the market.  If they arent
obviously bad, then they must be good for someone, and therefore
probably should stay.  Here we do get into libertarian
philosophies, which I am not qualified to discuss.

In summary, impartial evaluations of new technologies/products
are of significant educational value even if they are not used
by a government agency or other censoring body to pass judgement
on the technology/product.

Michael Wagner, UTCS