I think it is even worse in its arrogance but not of the programmer but of the would be "ethical reformers" - it thinks the ethics of /theory/ can be determined beforehand, that it can be halted and following these judgements would lead to a positive outcome by holding the whole world back when others may stumble upon the same train of thought later. The fact that there is relatively little resistance between theory and practice does not change that.

Under that framework USSR's suppression of genetics in favor of Lysenkoist bullshit would be justified because an incomplete understanding of genetics could lead to eugenics travesties. It is like King Cnut trying to stop the tides only totally unironically and unsarcastically.