Oppenheimer's Choice

Richard Mason

Description

In 1942, J. Robert Oppenheimer accepted the leadership of the Manhattan Project at the Los Alamos Laboratory, which produced the first atomic bomb three years later. This book examines the ethics of Oppenheimer's choice to take that job and our judgment of his acceptance, leading to the larger question of the meaning of moral judgment itself. Through an analysis of Oppenheimer's choice, Richard Mason explores questions of responsibility, the justification for the pursuit of scientific curiosity, the purity of research, and many other topics of interest in scientific ethics. This unique look at one man's choice brings out the necessary step from personal detail to abstract reflection—it may be easy to praise or condemn Oppenheimer's choice, but less easy to justify our praise or condemnation. Oppenheimer's Choice establishes the possibility of this kind of moral philosophy—neither "applied" nor "practical" ethics, but instead a sustained concentration on a single choice, and what it means.

Introduction

1. The Value in a Story

2. A Point of Choice?

3 One Large Fact

4. Curiosity

5. Responsibility

6. Irreversible Change

7. Purity

8. The Lessons of History

Notes
References
Index of Names

Sujets

• Philosophie
• Éthique et morale
• Ethique et morale
• États-Unis
• History of the Americas
• 20th century
• United States of America
• USA

Informations

• Publié par: State University of New York Press
• Date de parution: 01 février 2012
• Nombre de lectures: 1
• EAN13: 9780791481639
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

OPPENHEIMER’S  CHOICE

Reflections from Moral Philosophy

R I C H A R D M A S O N

OPPENHEIMER’S CHOICE

SUNY SERIESIN  P HILOSOPHY

George R. Lucas, Jr., edîtor

OPPENHEIMER’S CHOICE

Relectîons from Mora Phîosophy

RICHARD MASON

State University of New York Press

Pubîshed by S U N Y P , TATE NIVERSITY OF EW ORK RESS Abany

© 2006 State Unîversîty of New York

A rîghts reserved

Prînted în the Unîted States of Amerîca

No part of thîs book may be used or reproduced în any manner whatsoever wîthout wrîtten permîssîon. No part of thîs book may be stored în a retrîeva system or transmîtted în any form or by any means încudîng eectronîc, eectrostatîc, magnetîc tape, mechanîca, photocopyîng, recordîng, or otherwîse wîthout the prîor permîssîon în wrîtîng of the pubîsher.

For înformatîon, address State Unîversîty of New York Press 194 Washîngton Avenue, Suîte 305, Abany, NY 12210-2384

Productîon, Laurîe Sear Marketîng, Mîchae Campochîaro

Library of Congress CataloginginPublication Data

Mason, Rîchard, 1948- Oppenheîmer’s choîce : refectîons from mora phîosophy / Rîchard Mason.  p. cm. — (SUNY serîes în phîosophy) Incudes bîbîographîca references (p. ) and îndex. ISBN 0-7914-6781-3 (hardcover : ak. paper) 1. Technoogy—Mora and ethîca aspects. 2. Ethîcs. 3. Oppenheîmer, J. Robert, 1904- 1967. I. Tîte. II. Serîes.

BJ59.M38 2006 170—dc22  2005020545

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

To Eîne Tostoy and Maya Tostoy, scîentîsts

This page intentionally left blank.

Mora phîosophy has, îndeed, thîs pecuîar dîsadvantage, whîch îs not found în natura, that în coectîng îts experîments, ît cannot make them purposey, wîth premedîtatîon, and after such a manner as to satîsfy îtsef concernîng every partîcuar whîch may arîse. When I am at a oss to know the effects of one body upon another în any sîtuatîon, I need ony put them în that sîtuatîon, and observe what resuts from ît. But shou’d I endeavour to cear up after the same manner any doubt în mora phîosophy, by pacîng mysef în the same case wîth that whîch I consîder, ’tîs evîdent thîs refectîon and premedîtatîon wou’d so dîsturb the operatîon of my natura prîncîpes, as must render ît împos- sîbe to form any just concusîon from the phænomenon. We must therefore gean up our experîments în thîs scîence from a cautîous observatîon of human îfe, and take them as they appear în the com- mon course of the word, by men’s behavîour în company, în affaîrs, and în theîr peasures. Where experîments of thîs kînd are judîcîousy co- ected and compar’d, we may hope to estabîsh on them a scîence, whîch wî not be înferîor în certaînty, and wî be much superîor în utîîty to any other of human comprehensîon.

 —Hume,A Treatîse of Human Nature, Book I, Introductîon

This page intentionally left blank.

Introductîon

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Notes

References

CONTENTS

The Vaue în a Story

A Poînt of Choîce?

One Large Fact

Curîosîty

Responsîbîîty

Irreversîbe Change

Purîty

The Lessons of Hîstory

Index of Names

1

13

23

39

 55

 71

 93

117

135

161

173

181