Submitted by Luther (not verified) on March 4, 2006 - 16:37.
You could operate a jury system where you have random selection of jury members from different parts of the country who are then advised by a panel of experts. We trust a random jury system for court decisions that involve life sentences, murder etc - so why not trust this kind of system for approval or new technologies? It is probably the only way that we could avoid the development of an expert elite that would open to the kind of political sellout that we see in any bureacracy (note - the bureaucracy in Australia used to be far more independent, frank and fearless than it is now).
precautionary regulation
You could operate a jury system where you have random selection of jury members from different parts of the country who are then advised by a panel of experts. We trust a random jury system for court decisions that involve life sentences, murder etc - so why not trust this kind of system for approval or new technologies? It is probably the only way that we could avoid the development of an expert elite that would open to the kind of political sellout that we see in any bureacracy (note - the bureaucracy in Australia used to be far more independent, frank and fearless than it is now).