4 ms·

This is like saying "N people die from food poisoning at restaurants each year. Lets ban food created by humans, and only allow food created and tested by machi

This is like saying "N people die from food poisoning at restaurants each year. Lets ban food created by humans, and only allow food created and tested by machines". I don't really want to live in that world.

ristretto 15y ago
A valid analogy would be "N people die from someone dropping her knife, the knife bouncing on the floor and stabbing a nearby fellow restaurant customer in the chest". This doesnt' happen often, so we don't really feel the need for checks there. We do have automated systems to check food quality all the way from the farm to the consumer, though.
sek 15y ago
What a stupid comparison, cars can still transport you from a to b. I don't give a damn about some peoples enjoyment when people die all day on the streets. Replace driving with terrorism when you talk about casualties and personal freedom. I don't want to live in that world, but i have to unless i get hit by a drunken driver.
- speckledjim 15y ago
  Just to put it in perspective maybe. 32,000 deaths a year from driving in US. 500,000 deaths a year from cancer in US. If it was me investing, I'd put my money into solving the cancer issue. Even if you can shave 5% off that death toll, you've already done more than eradicating cars would. The problem is driverless cars sounds like awesome fun. Solving cancer is the harder problem.
  - daeken 15y ago
    I think that an important difference is that we already know how to solve the car problem, in terms of technology. We can't really say the same for curing cancer.
  - lsc 15y ago
    I would be interested in seeing these numbers adjusted for age. My belief is that traffic accidents tend to kill younger people while cancer tends to kill older people. If I'm right, one car crash death would likely eliminate more potential years lived than many cancer deaths. I mean, I'm not saying your point is invalid, or that trying to extend our lives by fighting the 'old age' diseases is without value, but I do think that the number of deaths does not tell the whole story.
    - AretNCarlsen 15y ago
      Great idea! I can suggest a few places to start your research: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quality-adjusted_life_year http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quality-adjusted_life_year http://www.wolframalpha.com http://www.wolframalpha.com
  - scythe 15y ago
    >32,000 deaths a year from driving in US. 500,000 deaths a year from cancer in US. My personal favorite: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_suicide_rate http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_suicide_ra... Suicides at 11.1 per 100,000 per year, or about 33000 per year. You're roughly as likely to kill yourself as to die in an auto accident.

ristretto 15y ago

A valid analogy would be "N people die from someone dropping her knife, the knife bouncing on the floor and stabbing a nearby fellow restaurant customer in the chest". This doesnt' happen often, so we don't really feel the need for checks there. We do have automated systems to check food quality all the way from the farm to the consumer, though.

sek 15y ago

What a stupid comparison, cars can still transport you from a to b. I don't give a damn about some peoples enjoyment when people die all day on the streets. Replace driving with terrorism when you talk about casualties and personal freedom. I don't want to live in that world, but i have to unless i get hit by a drunken driver.

speckledjim 15y ago
Just to put it in perspective maybe. 32,000 deaths a year from driving in US. 500,000 deaths a year from cancer in US. If it was me investing, I'd put my money into solving the cancer issue. Even if you can shave 5% off that death toll, you've already done more than eradicating cars would. The problem is driverless cars sounds like awesome fun. Solving cancer is the harder problem.
- daeken 15y ago
  I think that an important difference is that we already know how to solve the car problem, in terms of technology. We can't really say the same for curing cancer.
- lsc 15y ago
  I would be interested in seeing these numbers adjusted for age. My belief is that traffic accidents tend to kill younger people while cancer tends to kill older people. If I'm right, one car crash death would likely eliminate more potential years lived than many cancer deaths. I mean, I'm not saying your point is invalid, or that trying to extend our lives by fighting the 'old age' diseases is without value, but I do think that the number of deaths does not tell the whole story.
  - AretNCarlsen 15y ago
    Great idea! I can suggest a few places to start your research: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quality-adjusted_life_year http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quality-adjusted_life_year http://www.wolframalpha.com http://www.wolframalpha.com
- scythe 15y ago
  >32,000 deaths a year from driving in US. 500,000 deaths a year from cancer in US. My personal favorite: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_suicide_rate http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_suicide_ra... Suicides at 11.1 per 100,000 per year, or about 33000 per year. You're roughly as likely to kill yourself as to die in an auto accident.