Thinking about technology on my run today. The bicycle came to mind as the technology (non-medical) with the greatest upside and least downside. The bicycle is very efficient for local transportation, but far from the most efficient means to do any particular harm.
I was once run all the way down by a drunk cyclist, and got up with minor scuffs.
I'm trying to think of other technologies that are both useful and very hard to use directly for evil.
@mulegirl How about the compass? Its primary function is harm-avoidance for its user, but provides no way for the user to inflict harm on others.
But then again there are many harms human civilisations might not have been able to inflict had they never figured out how to navigate the globe successfully.
@brelson that's a good one!
There was navigation before the compass, and I'd say any harms are indirect like a bicycle, which you could theoretically ride to someone's house to do a murder.
Erika
Brendan Nelson