Sums for spooks: mathematicians grapple with ethics of research funding

Mathematicians – and, indeed, other scholars – who cooperate with intelligence agencies face a moral dilemma knowing that their research could well be applied in unethical ways, says Michael Harris

Published on
March 8, 2018
Last updated
March 8, 2018
Michael Harris
Data streaming from CCTV
Source: Getty (edited)
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Science communication
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Print headline: Doing sums for spooks

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Reader's comments (1)

#1 Submitted by JohnDM on March 11, 2018 - 9:32am
Oh please! Nothing boost mathematics and science as much as a war does. Computing grew out of work such as Alan Turing's in WW II and cryptography has been with us since the 19th century. I wonder if the writer would be where he is today without Defence ministries and departments providing huge backing for maths and science in war time.

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