When you see something that is technically sweet, you go ahead and do it and argue about what to do about it only after you've had your technical success. That is the way it was with the atomic bomb.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Pursue technical successes first and deal with the consequences later. This approach drove the development of the atomic bomb.
- In plain terms
- Do the exciting technical work now and worry about the ethics or policy later.
- What can you take from it?
- Technical momentum often outpaces ethical deliberation.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Should technical success ever precede ethical approval?
- Who decides when to argue about the implications?
Another view
This mindset can lead to irreversible harm before safeguards are in place.
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