Should We Create Gods of War?
1.0 Ethics credits
Should We Create Gods of War?
The creation and deployment of super soldiers raises serious ethical, legal, and technological questions for military researchers, private contractors, and most of all the soldiers charged with using their newfound powers responsibly. These include: Is the creation of super soldiers in the best interest of U.S. strategic defense, or does it risk worsening a global arms race? To what extent is soldier enhancement technologically feasible, and how should researchers go about developing and testing prospective enhancements? How does the creation or deployment of super soldiers—for humanitarian missions or armed conflict—square with existing Department of Defense policies and international laws governing sentient weaponry and human experimentation?
Join Penn’s Center for Ethics and the Rule of Law, the Annenberg Public Policy Center, and the University of Massachusetts Lowell for a panel discussion on the ethical and legal posture of soldier enhancements featuring experts in U.S. strategic defense and preparedness, the development and ethical evaluation of novel neural devices designed to augment human performance and behavior, and public policy surrounding emerging weapons technologies.