Stanford Takes on the Techlash

In the fall of 2015, Rob Reich, a philosopher and a political scientist at Stanford, was chatting with a freshman during office hours. "I asked him what he planned to study," Reich recalled recently. "He said, 'Definitely computer science. I have some ideas for startups.' " In the spirit of small talk, Reich asked, What kind? "He looked at me with total earnestness and said, 'To tell you that, I'd have to ask you to sign a nondisclosure agreement.'