AI Impacts has a related project, where we look at Resisted Technological Temptations and try to figure out “under what circumstances can large concrete incentives to pursue technologies be overcome by forces motivated by uninternalized downsides, such as ethical concerns, risks to other people with no recourse, or risks the decisionmaker does not believe in.”
Geoengineering, many actors, present, scientist opposition inhibits research needed for others’ enthusiasm
Chlorofluorocarbons, many actors, 1985-present
Nanotechnology, scientists and governments, five decades ago to present
Airships / Zeppelins
Genetic engineering of humans
Some scientific studies prevented by the burden of IRB / GDPR compliance
Human challenge trials, especially for covid vaccines
Research involving recreational drugs
Dietary restrictions, in most (all?) human cultures
GMOs, in some countries
Atomic gardening
Nuclear power, in some countries
Fracking, in some countries
Use of nuclear explosions in construction
Various weapons (nuclear, chemical, biological, land mines, etc), in some countries and at some times
We have not published our investigations into any of these particular cases yet, but hope to soon. If you would like to talk with us about what you would find most decision-relevant from this project, please let me or Rick Korzekwa know.
AI Impacts has a related project, where we look at Resisted Technological Temptations and try to figure out “under what circumstances can large concrete incentives to pursue technologies be overcome by forces motivated by uninternalized downsides, such as ethical concerns, risks to other people with no recourse, or risks the decisionmaker does not believe in.”
Our current non-exhaustive list of plausible cases includes:
Geoengineering, many actors, present, scientist opposition inhibits research needed for others’ enthusiasm
Chlorofluorocarbons, many actors, 1985-present
Nanotechnology, scientists and governments, five decades ago to present
Airships / Zeppelins
Genetic engineering of humans
Some scientific studies prevented by the burden of IRB / GDPR compliance
Human challenge trials, especially for covid vaccines
Research involving recreational drugs
Dietary restrictions, in most (all?) human cultures
GMOs, in some countries
Atomic gardening
Nuclear power, in some countries
Fracking, in some countries
Use of nuclear explosions in construction
Various weapons (nuclear, chemical, biological, land mines, etc), in some countries and at some times
We have not published our investigations into any of these particular cases yet, but hope to soon. If you would like to talk with us about what you would find most decision-relevant from this project, please let me or Rick Korzekwa know.