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Toward an Understanding of Nonlethality
Author(s) -
Rappert Brian
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
peace and change
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1468-0130
pISSN - 0149-0508
DOI - 10.1111/0149-0508.00177
Subject(s) - lethality , epistemology , computer security , political science , risk analysis (engineering) , sociology , environmental ethics , computer science , medicine , biology , philosophy , toxicology
In recent times, growing attention has been given to the possible role “nonlethal” technology might play in helping to resolve contemporary security challenges. The concept of nonlethality offers the possibility of reducing suffering through the application of weapons designed and intended to minimize unnecessary harmful effects. Despite this promise and the accompanying expansion of literature on nonlethal weapons, there are basic disagreements about the nature of nonlethality. This article considers how we should conceive of the effects of nonlethal weapons and the underlying notions of lethality and nonlethality. An approach is proposed for elucidating how their characteristics and effects could be understood.