Ethical Reflection On Nuclear Deterrence And Its Prevention Of Risks

The existence of nuclear weapons enables some countries to use nuclear weapons to deter other countries for self-defense against nuclear blackmail and aggression.After the cold war,the world nuclear order gradually showed new characteristics,moving from the original equilibrium pattern to the non-equilibrium pattern.In the 21 st century,the Iranian nuclear issue and the Korean nuclear issue continue to exist,resulting in increasingly prominent issues.The prevention and control of such situation is unoptimistic.Nuclear deterrence involves and is bound to lead to ethical issues.Therefore,it is of great significance to ethically examine the problem and phenomenon of nuclear deterrence and prevent its risks.Nuclear deterrence is a demonstration of the power of nuclear-weapon states to prevent the opposite's attack by declaring or hinting with the use of nuclear weapons.In essence,it is a demonstration of the power to elevate the natural attribute of nuclear weapons to the level of social relations.Nuclear deterrence involves not only bioethics,but also political ethics,war ethics,science and technology ethics and international relations ethics.Under the precondition that nuclear weapons cannot be destroyed completely,the ethical problem of nuclear deterrence must be studied deeply and taken effective countermeasures to prevent and deal with.There are the three major ethical views on nuclear deterrence: nuclear realism,nuclear pacifism and the just theory of nuclear deterrence.The comprehensive application of these three ethical perspectives is helpful to examine the ethical issues of nuclear deterrence.Nuclear deterrence may affect human's interests and existence,therefore,the ethical stance of nuclear deterrence should be based on the coordination for the request of different subject,strengthening the domination of morality and undertaking of overall responsibility,fostering public reason and common sense,strengthening the consciousness to guard against the risks of war and respecting the dignity of life to keep it within tolerable limits.The ethical responsibility subjects of the nuclear deterrence can be divided into three dimensions: state,citizen and the decision maker.The ethical responsibility of the state lies in safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity and maintaining nuclear security order,making sure that the action will not escalate into nuclear terrorism or war.Citizens have an ethical responsibility to condemn and correct unjust nuclear deterrence.The implementation of nuclear deterrence will eventually be practised by the decision maker,so the ethical responsibility of the decision maker is the key.As the agent of the state's action of nuclear deterrent,the decision-maker,meanwhile as a citizen,especially a citizen with special ability,should bear the ethical responsibility of the state,the citizen and the decision-maker.Decision makers have the ethical responsibility not only to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity,but also to oppose unjust nuclear deterrence and actively prevent the risks of nuclear deterrence until the abolition of nuclear weapons.The subject of nuclear deterrence should strictly follow some basic ethical principles,make effort to control nuclear deterrence under the bottom line ethics,and strive to minimize the influence of this "evil".The subject of nuclear deterrence should follow the principles of respecting life,prudent use,just defense and peaceful coexistence.The principle of respecting life requires necessary respect for life,and a profound understanding of its fragility and non-repeatability,so as to respect its inherent dignity of life and do our best to protect it.The principle of prudent use means that the subject of nuclear deterrence should not arbitrarily use nuclear deterrence,and that nuclear deterrence should be implemented only when its national sovereignty and territorial integrity is trampled or damaged.The principle of just defense is the right boundary of nuclear deterrence.It respects the rights and autonomy of all parties and aims to safeguard the vital national interests and equality of national sovereign,as well as political justice and war justice.The principle of peaceful coexistence is the directive principle of nuclear deterrence.It requires countries to avoid nuclear deterrence and terror as much as possible and seek peace with each other,so as to achieve common survival and peace and security.The ethical principle of nuclear deterrence takes the respect for life as the logical starting point.The uncertainty of the use of nuclear deterrence will inevitably lead to many risks to human safety and life value.Therefore,how to prevent the risks of nuclear deterrence is undoubtedly the core of the ethical construction of nuclear deterrence.The prevention of nuclear deterrence'risks requires building a fair,cooperative and win-win nuclear security order,building a more just and reasonable international political and economic system,joining hands to build a community of shared future for mankind,and actively creating conditions for the denuclearization of the world.The denuclearization of the world is the common value expectation and ultimate attention.It concerns the quality of life and the common development of all countries.In recent years,China has walked out a positive step for the denuclearization in the world,and has initiated to build nuclear security community for contributing a feasible approach for a nuclear-free world.