Weapons Ethics

First, a dilemma

Moral Distance
the phenomenon of moral distance where the
institutions that are supposed to help us, such
as the law, confront us as an inhuman and
alienating force
http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs105
51-013-1865-1/fulltext.html

Milgram Experiment
normal people could be
induced to inflict immense
cruelty on others if they
believed that a scientific
authority had taken the
responsibility for that action
http://psycnet.apa.org/journals/
abn/67/4/371.pdf

Redefining Violence
What is violence? Violence is killing by
machines at a distance.
Killing is a natural part of life, but only humans
use machines to kill.
http://truth-out.org/opinion/item/13502-timothyleary-violence-is-killing-with-machines-at-a-

This Slide(S) just for our notes

http://www.catb.org/~esr/guns/gun-ethics.html
http://www.scu.edu/ethics/publications/submitted/reyes/weaponry.html
this writing is atrocious but.HUGELY USEFUL
http://web.b.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.stanford.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=36ffbd97-a9ff-4985-b87a-0291a6e
d936c%40sessionmgr111&vid=5&hid=114
--key player in the history of weapon design: vannevar bush- one of the credited fathers of the Internet, and Director of
the Office for Scientific Research and Development (OSRD) during the Second World War---The OSRD developed the atom bomb, the proximity fuse and low frequency radar
btw
-- the article starts out with an overview of the delevopement of the atom bomb and then branches into moral junk-- there are some very useful bullets
defensive weapons such as radar; vs weapons like the atom bomb with the potential to harm non combattants but also the potential to act as a deterrant
The doctrine of double effect (that foreseen evil
resulting from an act can be justified, provided that it wasnt the principal intention of
the act) was perhaps inevitably referenced to support the massive targeting of civilians
by allied bombing campaigns during the Second World War.

http://web.b.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.stanford.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=36ffbd97-a9ff-4985-b87a0291a6ed936c%40sessionmgr111&vid=5&hid=114
http://www.brookings.edu/~/media/research/files/papers/2010/12/robotics%20ethics%20singer/12_robotics_ethics_singer.pdf

useful links
http://www.sgr.org.uk/projects/military-influence-some-useful-websites

value sensitive design case study--- Military design!!! kim gave us this article we should use it!!!! There
is a section that specifically covers whether an engineer can ethically design a weapon (starts pg 705)

Integrating Ethics in Design through the

Value-Sensitive Design Approach-- by Mary L. Cummings
Tomahawk missile is the U.S. Navys premier land attack missile, used during the Gulf War in 1991, in Afghanistan in 2001, and most recently in Iraq. It is strategically invaluable
since it can be fired approximately 1000 miles from its intended target with pinpoint accuracy. However, one of the primary drawbacks to previous versions of the missile is its fire and
forget capability: the current operational Tomahawk contains its own internal guidance and navigation system, and once launched, cannot be redirected in-flight.

they are now trying to design the tactical tomohawk, which will have the ability for in flight redirection
revenge effect- what if this cushion makes it easier for people to justify using the tomohawk since launching it would no longer be an irritractable
1.2 million down the drain?
-but.. the tomohawk was designed for precision attacks of MILITARY targets--- so this revenge effect would not be too horrible if the missiles were
kept to their intended use
also design considerations--how much automation is needed for such a system and to what degree should humans be in the decision-making loop. pg 705

http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20120928-battlebots-think-for-themselves

Saffir- humanoid robot built to tackle fires on US navy ships

there are several defensive soldier robots already developed, what about offensive robots which
would make it hard to pin guilt to any human for war crimes?, but what about the potential of reducing
harm to civilians?---> in the long run does not make sense since if everyone started using robot
soldiers, how would wars be won if the losses are not human??-- JK military targets-- re the laws of
war

drone aircraft vs driverless cars?--- paralell technology developements can lead to better military
technology in a sort of revenge effect
Is there any legitimacy for horrendous weapons (e.g., the machine gun of Richard Gatling) navely
intended to force peace through deterrence?
Is there a moral implication in the extent to which imposed death is immediate rather than lingering, or (what is
perhaps the same thing) painless rather than painful?