IP: Government and Cryptography, revisited

[David Farber <farber () cis upenn edu>]

Date: Mon, 15 Sep 1997 12:19:34 -0700 (PDT)
From: George Dyson <gdyson () cc wwu edu>
To: David Farber <farber () cis upenn edu>
Subject: Government and Cryptography, revisited




David Farber:


Bishop (John) Wilkins (1614-1672) will be preaching to the converted 
here, but perhaps some of your readers may find his words encouraging 
(356 years later) as they hold their ground against another bid for 
government control. 


In his treatise on cryptography and telecommunications (*Mercury, or the 
Secret and Swift messenger, shewing how a man may with privacy and speed 
Communicate his thoughts to a Friend at any distance*, London, 1641, pp. 
179-180) Wilkins addressed the question of whether the powers of 
cryptography should be reserved for the Government, or made publicly 
available to all:


"If it be feared that this Discourse may unhappily advantage others, in 
such unlawfull courses: Tis considerable, that it does not only teach how 
to deceive, but consequently also how to discover Delusions. And then 
besides, the chiefe experiments are of such nature, that they cannot be 
frequently practiced, without just cause of suspicion, when as it is in 
the Magistrates power to prevent them.  However, it will not follow, that 
every thing must be supprest, which may bee abused... If all those usefull 
inventions that are lyable to abuse, should therefore be concealed, there 
is not any Art or Science, which might be lawfully professed."  


Best wishes.


George B. Dyson                                        gdyson () cc wwu edu
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