Capable of self-replicating, the robots could crowd out inferior species, namely us. Joy fears people re-engineering themselves with genetically manipulated body parts or computer implants. Joy proposes scientists and engineers curb development of dangerous technologies by limiting pursuit of certain kinds of knowledge. Former felons can own guns. So say some U.S. courts, but the Justice Department wants to end the practice.
Federal law bars felons from owning guns.
But federal courts in parts of the country allow ex-cons to petition for restoration of their right to bear arms. The controversy, which aired in a federal courtroom last week, may ripen in time for the presidential candidates to snipe. By summer and fall, Justice will petition three more appellate courts to rethink the approach. Congress will join the fray in September, and the Supreme Court may tackle the issue in the fall as well. Guns and politics mixed in other arenas last week.