Description:
The main arguments and findings in this work are summarised. Dual use
issues are to be found in the chemical industry, nuclear industry, in cyber-technology
and in the biological sciences. Moreover, they are exacerbated by collective action
problems. However, they exist in a somewhat different form in different domains
of science and technology, (e.g. nuclear vs. biological sciences), and in somewhat
diverse institutional settings (e.g. universities vs. private firms). Therefore, the appropriate responses to the problem in these different domains of science and technology
and different institutional settings may need to differ somewhat. That said, these
domains and institutions do share some common general features. Firstly, in each
case the dual use issues in question may call for restrictions on R&D research and
dissemination of findings; something that is, generally speaking, antithetical to scientists and technologists. Secondly, they are a collective moral responsibility, e.g. of
scientists and governments. Thirdly, the response needs to be multi-faceted and will
typically involve a so-called ‘web of prevention’ (an integrated suite of regulatory
measures).