Why don't I take military funding? (2004)
<i>&gt;, after completing my PhD thesis on cognitive maps, I found that the only funding agency that was interested in supporting my research wanted to build smart cruise missiles that could find their way to their targets. This was not what I wanted my life&#x27;s work to support.</i><p>But if the military really really wanted to, couldn&#x27;t it just &quot;launder&quot; their funding via &quot;worthy humanitarian&quot; causes?<p>The government could find a more socially palatable institution (or possibly create one from scratch) and funnels the research money through that.  The unknowing scientist then thinks his cognitive maps is fighting cancer cells or detecting crime but in reality, it&#x27;s going to ultimately end up in a cruise missile.  Like a lot of <i>basic research</i>, the knowledge can be <i>legitimately</i> applied to humanitarian purposes so those laundering schemes are not a total fiction in terms of <i>beneficial results for society</i>.  It&#x27;s impossible to disentangle good-vs-evil uses of knowledge or technology.<p>I&#x27;m not trying to dissuade anyone from abandoning their principles but I think the government can invent clever ways of disguising their goals.  E.g. A mechanical engineer that wouldn&#x27;t work on exoskeletons for Army soldiers to help kill people but would feel ethically ok with funding from a charity[0] to help paraplegics gain freedom of movement.  Since the scientist can&#x27;t know the provenance of all funds, maybe he&#x27;s still helping the Army after all.<p>[0] e.g.:  <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.unitedspinal.org&#x2F;" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.unitedspinal.org&#x2F;</a>