Because instead of spending research money into getting cheaper and more accessible healthcare, food and housing it is used to kill more efficiently, maybe?
Did you read the article? This isn't government funded. Does every private company that spends money on something other than healthcare/food/housing scare you?
Did you read my post? Did I say anything about government funds?
I'm talking about companies' priorities.
So someone talks about social things and you assume that they are talking about big daddy government? There are plenty of companies that make profit AND also make research for the common good and not how to kill each other better.
I mentioned those things because they are the most obvious and possibly important... but there are more subjects like environment, education, mass transport, open governments, factory automation, communications... that could do with more research.
Also, not all the profit should be monetary. Who are you gonna charge that money when there is no people left that can spend it?
No "social profit" -> no people -> no business. Your clients should be your interest not your product.
Ok, just wanted to make sure we were on the same page. You thini private companies should only do things that are directly humanitarian in impact. That's a bit of an uncommon position to take, and one I disagree with.
The profit motive is what drives private enterprise, and I have no problem with that. If something can be developed and marketed profitably, I think it's a stretch to call it a waste of resources.