Tuesday, September 24, 2013

3D Printing and Weapons

3D Printing can do many things, some of which may be cause for concern. Specifically, the personal manufacture of weapons has many implications. Why get guns illegally when you can just print them in the privacy of your own secret lair? Unfortunately, unlike drugs, printed guns cannot be sniffed out by dogs. All new technologies can be used for good or for evil. What can be done about this new problem? 3D printing makes gun control a joke. We need to find a new way to control weapons. You can't print gunpowder. Is it even possible to try to regulate ammunition?

5 comments:

  1. That's a really interesting perspective. I would not have thought to relate 3D printing to gun control. Can 3D printing really produce a functional gun? I can see how it can create models or statues, but I don't understand how it could create something with moveable parts.

    ReplyDelete
  2. The best regulation is likely to be found in the exercise of wisdom. How to teach that wisdom is still a mystery.

    ReplyDelete
  3. The number of people who would know how to properly design and assemble a gun from 3D printed parts that would work with existing amunition is still a relatively small number. If that changes drastically this could be a big problem, but I don't think this is an issue that needs to be addressed yet.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Unfortunately, most people don't need to know how to design it. They can just download the design online and print it.

      Delete