ABSTRACT
This chapter describes the post-World War II debate within the national security establishment concerning the use of human subjects in experiments related to national defense, and the subsequent emergence of the first federal policies in this area. The national security state was established in the wake of World War II, was called into question with the collapse of communism, and has been newly fortified by the war on terror. The job of finding an acceptable policy was handed over to defense department legal counsel, which identified the Nuremberg Code as prevailing international law. The national security state had less need to protect itself from the criticism that it put traditional American individualism and anti-state sentiment at risk. Neuroscience research presents a variety of opportunities for still more futuristic military applications. Neural receptors responsible for brain development have been enhanced in mice, with evidence that learning is significantly improved.
