Designed to Kill: The Case Against Weapons Research

Designed to Kill: The Case Against Weapons Research
Author: John Forge
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 321
Release: 2012-12-24
Genre: Philosophy
ISBN: 9400757360

The pilot-less drones, smart bombs and other high-tech weapons on display in recent conflicts are all the outcome of weapons research. However, the kind of scientific and technological endeavour has been around for a long time, producing not only the armaments of Nazi Germany and the atomic bombs dropped on Japan, but the catapults used in ancient Greece and Rome and the assault rifles used by child soldiers in Africa. In this book John Forge examines such weapons research and asks whether it is morally acceptable to undertake such an activity. He argues that it is in fact morally wrong to take part in weapons research as its primary purpose is to produce the means to harm others, and moreover he argues that all attempts to then justify participation in weapons research do not stand up to scrutiny. This book has wide appeal in fields of philosophy and related areas, as well to a more general audience who are puzzled about the rate at which new weapons are accumulated.

The Morality of Weapons Design and Development: Emerging Research and Opportunities

The Morality of Weapons Design and Development: Emerging Research and Opportunities
Author: Forge, John
Publisher: IGI Global
Total Pages: 232
Release: 2017-12-01
Genre: History
ISBN: 1522539859

Countries around the globe are continuously investing money into weapon development and manufacturing. While weapon design has been a relevant topic, from the Middle Ages to today, the morality of this practice is not commonly presented in research. The Morality of Weapons Design and Development: Emerging Research and Opportunities is an essential scholarly resource that presents detailed discussions on ethical dilemmas in weapons design and innovations. While highlighting relevant topics including projectile and nuclear weapons, the true costs of war, design in peacetime, and weapons development and justification, this book is an ideal resource for researchers, engineers, graduate students, and professionals who have an interest in weapons design, development, and ethics.

The Changing Scope of Technoethics in Contemporary Society

The Changing Scope of Technoethics in Contemporary Society
Author: Luppicini, Rocci
Publisher: IGI Global
Total Pages: 426
Release: 2018-04-13
Genre: Computers
ISBN: 152255095X

In the modern era each new innovation poses its own special ethical dilemma. How can human society adapt to these new forms of expression, commerce, government, citizenship, and learning while holding onto its ethical and moral principles? The Changing Scope of Technoethics in Contemporary Society is a critical scholarly resource that examines the existing intellectual platform within the field of technoethics. Featuring coverage on a broad range of topics such as ethical perspectives on internet safety, technoscience, and ethical hacking communication, this book is geared towards academicians, researchers, and students seeking current research on domains of technoethics.

The Morality of Weapons Research

The Morality of Weapons Research
Author: John Forge
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 113
Release: 2019-04-02
Genre: Philosophy
ISBN: 3030168603

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.

Ethics and Autonomous Weapons

Ethics and Autonomous Weapons
Author: Alex Leveringhaus
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 136
Release: 2016-05-18
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 1137523611

This book is amongst the first academic treatments of the emerging debate on autonomous weapons. Autonomous weapons are capable, once programmed, of searching for and engaging a target without direct intervention by a human operator. Critics of these weapons claim that ‘taking the human out-of-the-loop’ represents a further step towards the de-humanisation of warfare, while advocates of this type of technology contend that the power of machine autonomy can potentially be harnessed in order to prevent war crimes. This book provides a thorough and critical assessment of these two positions. Written by a political philosopher at the forefront of the autonomous weapons debate, the book clearly assesses the ethical and legal ramifications of autonomous weapons, and presents a novel ethical argument against fully autonomous weapons.

Research Anthology on Military and Defense Applications, Utilization, Education, and Ethics

Research Anthology on Military and Defense Applications, Utilization, Education, and Ethics
Author: Management Association, Information Resources
Publisher: IGI Global
Total Pages: 685
Release: 2021-05-28
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 1799890309

Military technology is highly advanced in terms of technology being used in the field, computer applications, artificial intelligence, and software applications. These high-performance technologies range from weapons to communications technology to automation in vehicles and weaponry. These technologies must be both secure and reliable in harsh environments. Research is being focused specifically on that, including how military and defense applications operate, what modern technologies are being used, and the ethics surrounding these applications. A holistic view of these applications is necessary for both understanding current military tactics and tools along with the future applications. The Research Anthology on Military and Defense Applications, Utilization, Education, and Ethics focuses specifically on military and defense operations, expenditure, technologies, and tools, and the ethics surrounding technologies like weaponry and artificial intelligence in the military. The chapters cover a wide and diverse range of military and defense applications while providing crucial information on the functions, security, and reliability of these technologies. Beyond an understanding of the applications themselves, this book also focuses on military education surrounding these technologies and the ethics of usage to provide a well-rounded understanding of research in the field. This book is ideal for military consultants, military personnel, defense agencies, national security agencies, government officials, defense personnel, policymakers, military educators and trainers, stakeholders, practitioners, researchers, academicians, and students interested in the latest research in military and defense applications.

Advanced Methodologies and Technologies in Government and Society

Advanced Methodologies and Technologies in Government and Society
Author: Khosrow-Pour, D.B.A., Mehdi
Publisher: IGI Global
Total Pages: 746
Release: 2018-11-02
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 1522576622

Governments must continuously update policies, laws, and legislation as the world continues to rapidly evolve due to technologies and changing cultural perspectives. To streamline policy creation and implementation, governments seek new and efficient methods to ensure their citizens’ and communities’ safety while also encouraging citizen participation. Advanced Methodologies and Technologies in Government and Society provides research on emerging methodologies in effective governing including sections on public sector management and socioeconomic development. While highlighting the challenges facing government officials and law enforcement such as crisis response and natural disaster management, this book shows how technology use can make those areas of government more efficient and improve preventative measures. This book is an ideal resource for law enforcement, government officials and agencies, policymakers, public servants, citizen activists, researchers, and political leaders seeking cutting-edge information to strengthen their government’s relationship with society and their constituents while also strengthening their policy measures through new technology and methods.

Responsible Conduct of Research

Responsible Conduct of Research
Author: Adil E. Shamoo
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Total Pages: 359
Release: 2014-12-01
Genre: Medical
ISBN: 0199376042

Since the early 2000s, the field of Responsible Conduct of Research has become widely recognized as essential to scientific education, investigation, and training. At present, research institutions with public funding are expected to have some minimal training and education in RCR for their graduate students, fellows and trainees. These institutions also are expected to have a system in place for investigating and reporting misconduct in research or violations of regulations in research with human subjects, or in their applications to federal agencies for funding. Public scrutiny of the conduct of scientific researchers remains high. Media reports of misconduct scandals, biased research, violations of human research ethics rules, and moral controversies in research occur on a weekly basis. Since the 2009 publication of the 2nd edition of Shamoo and Resnik's Responsible Conduct of Research, there has been a vast expansion in the information, knowledge, methods, and diagnosis of problems related to RCR and the multitude of ethical issues of human subject protections. With the climate surrounding research conduct always shifting, developments in the field make an updated edition a necessity. All chapters have been revised and reflect the most current RCR landscape. New or further-developed topics include social responsibility and misconduct in social sciences, climate-change research, authorship, and peer review. Updates include new information on research involving human subjects or "vulnerable" biological subjects, as well as genetic research. Just like in previous editions, all chapters contain recent case studies and legal examples of various subjects.

On the Dual Uses of Science and Ethics

On the Dual Uses of Science and Ethics
Author: Michael J. Selgelid
Publisher: ANU E Press
Total Pages: 410
Release: 2013-12-19
Genre: Philosophy
ISBN: 1925021343

Claims about the transformations enabled by modern science and medicine have been accompanied by an unsettling question in recent years: might the knowledge being produced undermine – rather than further – human and animal well being? On the Dual Uses of Science and Ethics examines the potential for the skills, know-how, information, and techniques associated with modern biology to serve contrasting ends. In recognition of the moral ambiguity of science and technology, each chapter considers steps that might be undertaken to prevent the deliberate spread of disease. Central to achieving this aim is the consideration of what role ethics might serve. To date, the ethical analysis of the themes of this volume has been limited. This book remedies this situation by bringing together contributors from a broad range of backgrounds to address a highly important ethical issue confronting humanity during the 21st century.

Handbook on the Politics and Governance of Big Data and Artificial Intelligence

Handbook on the Politics and Governance of Big Data and Artificial Intelligence
Author: Andrej Zwitter
Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing
Total Pages: 535
Release: 2023-06-01
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 180088737X

Drawing on the theoretical debates, practical applications, and sectoral approaches in the field, this ground-breaking Handbook unpacks the political and regulatory developments in AI and big data governance. Covering the political implications of big data and AI on international relations, as well as emerging initiatives for legal regulation, it provides an accessible overview of ongoing data science discourses in politics, law and governance. This title contains one or more Open Access chapters.