A knife is a multi-purpose tool that can be used as a weapon, and one that has so many important non-weapon uses that not having it would cause far more harm than having it would. This is intended primarily as a weapon, even when used defensively. There's an important qualitative difference there, though it's tempting to gallop down the slippery slope.
Regardless, I'm not proposing to ban either knives or this tool - I've been very clear about that. I do think that - with anything that has potential for harm - it's important for people to consider the possible consequences and to actually engage in the discussion about usage, rather than either washing their hands of the issue or declaring that any consideration will soon lead to arresting everyone for everything.
This is a path we've trodden countless times. With some things, we've collectively decided that no controls are necessary. With other things - poisons, nuclear weapons, a host of things depending on location - society has enacted controls of various efficacy and validity.
The responsible choice, regardless of whether you end up being for or any any given restriction for [thing], is to spend time thinking about it, discussing it, and - particularly when you've chosen to release something - acknowledging the potential issues.
I think I agree with everything you wrote except what I'm unfairly reading into this phrase: we don't need to and should not irrevocably "decide" once and for all. We might have been quite wrong to ban some poisons even in the situations that applied at the time when we banned them. If we were right to do so, times may have changed and we don't any longer. Even nuclear weapons perhaps, in certain situations.
Similar to a previous comment of mine in this thread, of course I don't know from your passing use of that word what you think about this! But I do think that that worldview, that these things are or should be "decided" in a permanent sort of way, is commonplace.
It's wordier, but more accurate, to say that I think society is (and should be) in a constant conversation with itself, deciding what to prohibit and to what extent. We regularly get this wrong, and we should never assume that our current collective position is unassailable; there should always be room for doubt and further discussion.
Regardless, I'm not proposing to ban either knives or this tool - I've been very clear about that. I do think that - with anything that has potential for harm - it's important for people to consider the possible consequences and to actually engage in the discussion about usage, rather than either washing their hands of the issue or declaring that any consideration will soon lead to arresting everyone for everything.
This is a path we've trodden countless times. With some things, we've collectively decided that no controls are necessary. With other things - poisons, nuclear weapons, a host of things depending on location - society has enacted controls of various efficacy and validity.
The responsible choice, regardless of whether you end up being for or any any given restriction for [thing], is to spend time thinking about it, discussing it, and - particularly when you've chosen to release something - acknowledging the potential issues.