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Course: Wireless Philosophy > Unit 5
Lesson 7: Do drones make war too easy?Evaluating the argument
Do Drones Make War Too Easy?
Evaluate and discuss the argument presented in this video.
What should we think about the increased use of drones as weapons of war?
Consider the following range of opinions on this question:
- Drones are a great boon to warfare, and we should put them to use whenever possible. Not only do they make wars cheaper and less dangerous for our own soldiers, but their precision and low-profile operation also enable us to minimize collateral damage, as well as public attention and outrage.
- Because drone warfare is, in various ways, so much less costly than conventional warfare, it makes war too easy. So, unless we’re prepared to wage more and more unjust wars, reprehensibly causing untold numbers of unnecessary deaths, we must strictly limit the use of drones in war.
- It’s wrong to conduct war through remotely controlled aircraft operated by pilots sitting safely and comfortably in a room perhaps thousands of miles away, hunting down targets on their screens like it’s a video game, without genuinely understanding the moral gravity of their actions.
- Drones are just another weapon of war, not fundamentally different from tanks, submarines, long-range missiles, or anything else. There are important ethical questions to ask about when and how to use drones in war, but drones don’t raise any significant ethical concerns that don’t also apply to other weapons.
Now, take some time - by yourself or with others - to reflect openly, yet critically, on the ethical considerations raised by the various perspectives, and determine where you stand on this issue. What do YOU think, and why?