Stockdale Center POW Trailer
Dr. James Giordano, Dr. Diane DiEuliis, “Balancing Act: Precision Medicine and National Security”
In a new paper published in Military Medicine, Stockdale Center Distinguished Fellow Dr James Giordano, and Dr Diane DiEuliis of National Defense University address the promise, possibilities and problems posed by advances in precision medicine to public health and national security. The Abstract of the paper: Developments in genetics, pharmacology, biomarker identification, imaging, and interventional biotechnology are enabling […]
How should the laws of armed conflict address the rise of AI-augmented decision-making?
Recently, significant effort has gone into deciding what is the appropriate space for algorithmic decision making in domestic law.[1] From discussions about the constitutionality of police officers’ use of algorithms to justify probable cause, to debates about use of recidivism algorithms in parole hearings, and the use of machine learning to aid judges in deciding on […]
A Code of Ethics for the US Armed Services? A Counterpoint
An Ethics Code for the Armed Forces: A Counterpoint Col Bonadonna’s central thesis is clearly stated up front: “The American military needs a code of ethics.” He argues such a code would “communicate a commitment to the American people.” He goes on to claim “the code would serve as doctrine…concerning the most vital ethical underpinnings of […]
The Least Abhorrent Choice?
The Least Abhorrent Choice? When gaging the morality of the use of atomic weapons to end the Asia Pacific War, one of the things we are obliged to consider is the likely consequences of other options available at the time. We should project their likely efficacy with regard to bringing about timely capitulation with a […]
Were the A-Bombs the Last Resort?
Last August marked the 75th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima; three days later a second bomb obliterated Nagasaki. As early as August 9, the day of the Nagasaki explosion, the Federal Council of Churches of Christ wired President Harry S. Truman: Many Christians deeply disturbed over use of atomic bombs against Japanese cities because of […]
Atomic Bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki – Justified?
This past August marked the 75th anniversary of the most ethically controversial decisions in the history of warfare. On the 6th of August 1945, and then again on the 9th of August, the United States dropped atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. At least 150,000 civilians were immediately killed, and more would later die. […]
Why Movies to Teach Philosophy?
A ‘stock in trade’ of philosophical literature is the striking thought experiment. A staple in ethics and law courses is the written case study. The pedagogical advantage of these tools is twofold: They allow us to formulate and hone theoretic systems and guide practical applications of those philosophical paradigms. They also provide avenues through which […]
The Justification for Harm and Intelligence Ethics
Normally, the fact that an act is harmful is a reason not to do it. There is, in other words, a presumption against doing harm. Many theorists of espionage ethics have begun from the observation that the actions of intelligence agents, especially those that constitute human intelligence (HUMINT), are characteristically harmful. Intelligence agents sometimes resort […]
Market Competition, Effectiveness and Ethical Standards of Private Military Contractors
The infamous 2007 Nisour Square shooting in Iraq that led to the deaths of 17 civilians at the hands of American private contractors unleashed public debate about ethical use of these actors in armed conflict that continues to this day. Even before the incident, academics, non-governmental organizations, and some in the Department of Defense have […]