The Morality of Weapons Research : Why It is Wrong to Design Weapons

Springer Verlag (2019)
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Abstract

This book addresses the morality of engaging in weapons research, a topic that has been neglected but which is extremely important. It is argued that this activity is both morally wrong and morally unjustifiable, and this implies that moral persons should not engage in it. The argument is not based on any pacifist assumptions: it is not assumed that neither individuals nor states should not defend themselves. What is wrong with weapons research is that it is the first step in the production of weapons, weapons are the means to harm, and harming without justification is always wrong. Those who study science, for instance those who are interested in the responsibilities of the scientist, are given a new perspective, while those who are practicing scientists will realize that they should not consider working to design new or improved weapons systems. This book is of interest to students and researchers working in ethics and technology, philosophy of technology, military ethics, and history of technology.

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Chapters

The Changing Contexts of Weapons Research

Weapons research is conducted at particular times and places, under certain circumstances and conditions. I have expressed this by saying that weapons research takes place in some context. There have been instances of individuals conducting weapons research simply out of Interests—Maxim, Hiram the i... see more

No Justification for Weapons Research

If there can be no ahistoricalJustification, ahistorical justification for weapons research, then all attempts at justification must be historicalJustification, historical: they must refer to the situations and circumstances in which weapons are actually used. In view of the general condition for al... see more

Defence and Deterrence

The DefenceDeterrence of weapons is to harm: this is what weapons do, this is what they are designed to do, and the more effectively Military efficiency they harm, the better they are as weapons. Weapons are exceptional in this regard, for no other artefacts are intentionally produced to do somethin... see more

Weapons Research is Morally Wrong

Weapons are artefacts, which is to say that they are ‘man-made’, crafted by us for some end or reason. Artefacts are of two basic kinds: the aesthetic and the practical. The former are made to be admired, while the later are made because the help us achieve something, either something that we could ... see more

The Nature of Weapons Research

In order the make the case against weapons research we need to know what weapons research is, and the aim of this chapter is to explain what it is. There is no need to come up with an absolutely precise definition which includes every instance of weapons research and excludes everything else, a kind... see more

Morality and the Harm Principle

Harm principle order to argue that weapons research is morally wrong and, in addition, that it is morally unjustifiable, it is necessary to appeal to some system of morality. This is because it is necessary, in the first place, to understand just exactly what is at stake. When I claim that weapons r... see more

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John Forge
University College, London (Alumnus)

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