Let's look at the following situation:
  1. You intend to do harm
  2. I provide access to the necessary tool(s)
  3. Before you perform your action, you're killed in an accident

Have I still committed harm? My entire involvement is in steps 1 and 2. The fact that you never actually committed harm shouldn't affect my ethical burden ... or does it?

My point, which wasn't clear, is that to attach ethical burden to intent is to create a thought crime. Intent and action are two different things. "Intended murder" isn't a crime in the US. "Attempted murder", which is the action that just happened to fail, is the crime. (And, frankly, it should have the exact same penalties as murder. You tried to do the exact same thing, but failed. You shouldn't receive legal benefit from your own incompetence.)

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We are the carpenters and bricklayers of the Information Age.

Then there are Damian modules.... *sigh* ... that's not about being less-lazy -- that's about being on some really good drugs -- you know, there is no spoon. - flyingmoose

I shouldn't have to say this, but any code, unless otherwise stated, is untested

In reply to Re^4: Information sharing by dragonchild
in thread Information sharing by dragonchild

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