Nuclear War. The moral dimension

Book · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1985

OSTI ID:5466847

Child, J W

U.S. nuclear policy has become the target of increasing criticism during the past decade. Critics often argue that the use of nuclear weapons would be irrational, would destroy humankind, and thus could not serve any rational policy goal. Other critics point to the immortality of the use of nuclear weapons. Both groups condemn U.S. military policy. In Nuclear War, James Child considers and rejects both these lines of criticism. He argues that a policy of deterrence can be both rational and moral; that U.S. nuclear policy is, on balance, based on rational and moral foundations. Child examines near-term consequences of a nuclear war and finds them ghastly but not unthinkable or incomparable to the havoc produced by previous wars. He also analyzes long-term consequences, such as those proposed by the ''nuclear winter'' theory, and finds the fear of total annihilation of humankind to be unfounded.

• OSTI ID: 5466847
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
290600* -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Nuclear Energy
293000 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Policy
Legislation
& Regulation
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOLOGICAL EXTINCTION
BIOLOGICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
DECISION MAKING
DELAYED RADIATION EFFECTS
EARLY RADIATION EFFECTS
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
ETHICAL ASPECTS
HUMAN POPULATIONS
NATIONAL DEFENSE
NUCLEAR WEAPONS
NUCLEAR WINTER
PLANNING
POPULATIONS
PROLIFERATION
PUBLIC RELATIONS
RADIATION EFFECTS
RISK ASSESSMENT
WARFARE
WEAPONS