Re: [XPOST] A unique number for every "person" - can it be done?

From: Arthur J. O'Dwyer (ajo_at_nospam.andrew.cmu.edu)
Date: 02/27/05 

Date: Sun, 27 Feb 2005 17:45:11 -0500 (EST)

[fups set to c.p]

On Sun, 27 Feb 2005, Jacob Sheehy wrote:
>
> Wow. Rather than reply with possible methods that could be used here, I
> have to question the morality. There have been a number of replies
> debating ways to do it and such, and I just can't help but think that it's
> wrong.
>
> By the sounds of it, you want to subject every single person on the planet
> to this system. You want to force every individual being to have an
> identification number? So that they can be tracked, and watched? A number
> unique to each person, so that you can always find out where they are or
> something?
>
> What *purpose* does this ID number serve? Why are you working towards
> this? Is the answer obvious, and my teenage mind not seeing it? Because
> you've got me stumped.

While I agree that there's no conceivable purpose to such an endeavor,
I can only say "*sigh*" about your first two paragraphs. How does the
existence of an algorithm to assign numbers to people have any moral
dimension, let alone allow any kind of "tracking"? Sounds like you've
been reading too much sci fi.
   Consider: I have a computer program that assigns you, Jocob Sheehy,
the number 427094812. Does that mean I can "always find out where [you]
are"? Of course not! The two concepts are completely unrelated.

-Arthur,
commonsensical

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