Would you conduct military research? If so, why? If not, why not? What reasons would be valid to motivate a scientist or engineer in developing something which kills people? Does it matter if they do it for their country versus a company? How do geopolitics and ongoing conflicts change the ethical dimension of participating in military research?
Long ago, Leonardo Da Vinci destroyed plans he had for submarines, for fear of the damage they may do. In contrast, Albert Einstein’s concerns about Nazi Germany’s rise drove him to stimulate the Manhattan Project. The war in Ukraine has motivated some young STEM students to pursue internships in ‘Defense’. Meanwhile, concerns over Google’s involvement in Project Maven led to thousands protesting their work’s military applications.
What do you think? What would you do?
