ABSTRACT
This part introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters. The part shows that the traditional utilitarian and deontological approaches to ethical issues can resolve questions about the legitimacy of US nuclear policy. It suggests that philosophical analyses that reject nuclear deterrence, if implemented, would make nuclear war more likely. The part looks at the bluff/threat distinction. It considers whether the strategy of nuclear deterrence is more likely than others "to prevent some markedly greater evil," such as Stalinist world domination. Controversy about nuclear weaponry is as old as the atomic bomb itself. The part argues that in targeting civilian populations, deterrence violates the Kantian principle of respect for persons. It suggests that when probabilities are "shadowy," one should avoid courses of action that pose risks of more widespread and more basic harms.
