Nuclear war has become a topic of conversation once again, causing concern among the public. This is due to recent events such as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and their nuclear threats, as well as North Korea’s missile launches. The United States and China are also involved in nuclear activities. Joan Rohlfing, president of the Nuclear Threat Initiative, believes that the threat of nuclear use is currently at its highest level ever.
In this tense environment, there is a significant risk of a conventional crisis escalating into a nuclear one. It only takes a world leader to decide to launch a nuclear attack, highlighting the importance of understanding the decision-making process behind such actions.
Traditionally, the study of nuclear decision making has been based on economic theory, assuming that decisions are made by rational actors. However, humans are prone to mistakes and irrational behavior, especially under stress. This raises concerns about the potential for human failures in nuclear decision making.
To address this issue, organizations like the Nuclear Threat Initiative are working on projects that apply insights from cognitive science and neuroscience to nuclear strategy and protocols. The goal is to prevent accidental or unnecessary nuclear attacks by incorporating scientific understanding of the human brain into decision-making processes.
However, finding innovative and scientifically supported ideas to prevent nuclear attacks is a challenging task. Additionally, experts need to convince policymakers to apply research-based insights to real-world nuclear practices.
Changing the current nuclear status quo is not easy, as there is resistance from government insiders. Anne I. Harrington, a nuclear scholar, emphasizes the need for both internal and external efforts to bring about meaningful changes in nuclear discourse and practices.
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Different nuclear powers have varying protocols for making the decision to use nuclear weapons. In the United States, the authority to order the use of nuclear weapons rests solely with the president.
Reja Younis of the Center…
2023-08-21 10:17:49
Link from www.nytimes.com