A Philosopher's Blog

Philosophical Essays on Many Subjects

Archives for April 26, 2008

Going Nuclear

by 2 Comments

As the price of oil surges upward, nuclear power is being given serious thought once more. Naturally, this is met with optimism by some and worry by others.

The main concerns about nuclear power are obvious. First, there is the risk of an accident. In any debate about nuclear power, one merely has to bring up Three Mile Island and Chernobyl in order to score some easy points. While nuclear accidents are rare, they have the potential to be truly catastrophic. Second, there is the matter of the nuclear waste. While recycling can occur in nuclear power (for example, some US reactors are using material from Russian warheads as fuel), nuclear waste is radioactive and this makes it just about the worst possible waste. Not only is radiation from such waste rather harmful, it tends to remain dangerous for centuries. Hence, storing it in a safe manner is of great concern. Third, there is the concern that nuclear material can be used to create weapons-either nuclear bombs or contamination weapons.

All of these concerns are quite legitimate and need to be dealt with effectively. In some cases, they already have. While Russian nuclear power has been a scary thing, Western plants have an excellent safety record. While the nuclear waste is a serious concern, expensive facilities are being constructed and plans are being discussed. Finally, some claim that plants can be secured to reduce the likelihood that they can become the sources of weapons (for the wrong people, of course).

Nuclear power does have some factors in its favor. First, nuclear power is cheaper than many alternative power sources such as wind , gas, and solar. Of course, there is some debate about this. Second, aside from the nuclear waste, nuclear plants are very clean. Of course, that nuclear waste is still a matter of significant concern. Third, unlike solar and wind power, nuclear power is always available. Fourth, nuclear power is domestic power-it can be generated right here in the United States, thus lessening our dependency on foreign sources of energy.

While people tend to have an emotional reaction to nuclear power, we should consider it as a possible option. After all, it does have a great deal in its favor. But, it also has some serious potential problems-as shown by Chernobyl. The effective loss of an entire city tends to create a lasting impression that is hard to erase with facts and figures about the viability and safety of nuclear energy.

But, looked at logically, provided that the waste and safety problems can be dealt with, going nuclear can be an acceptable option. It can even be a green option (and hopefully not a glowing green one).

Boycott the Opening Ceremonies?

by Leave a Comment

One debate that is raging in the media is whether the Western countries should boycott the opening ceremonies for the Olympics.

Those who are pro-boycott argue that China needs to be sent a message in regards to its bad behavior in the world-especially in Tibet. Those who are against the boycott mostly argue such a boycott would actually be harmful.

My own thoughts are divided.

On one hand, the Olympics are based on an ideal: the countries of the world are supposed to set aside their differences, squabbles and battles and come together in the spirit of sport. I rather like this ideal and think that it shows the better part of us. While sport is about competition, it is about competition with honor and respect. It is about coming together in the friendship of sport-that bond forged between athletes who are there to do their very best. While I am not an Olympic grade runner, I have been in competitive sports my entire life. My experience has, in general, matched that ideal. Athletic competition can bring out what is best, noblest and greatest in us.

In serving this ideal, we sometimes have to set aside some legitimate worries and concerns. Yes, China behaves badly. Yes, they should behave better. We should not forget this. But, we should go there to forge the bonds of sport and hope that they can grow beyond the realm of athletic

My optimistic heart feels this way and I want to believe in the ideal.

On the other hand, the modern Olympics has always been a political tool wielded to make this statement or that. To pretend otherwise would, one might say, be the height of naive blindness.

While athletic competition can have noble elements, the reality is that the Olympic competition is about each country trying to establish its status and power by winning medals. To this end, means foul and fair are employed. As such, the ideal served by the Olympics is the ideal of politics-everything is to be milked and exploited to gain advantages.

If boycotting the opening ceremonies can hurt China and help the West politically, than that stick should be poked into the dragon’s eye. If boycotting the ceremonies won’t have that desired effect, then it should not be done.

Going to the ceremonies can help the West in that while it will be granting China status, it will also help to encourage China to move further into the Western circle. After all, one way to get cooperation is to be cooperative and show respect.

But, boycotting the ceremonies can help the West as well. By doing so, a message is sent that China must do what the West wants (to some degree) or the West will not show China respect. Of course, this might serve to have the opposite effect. A snubbed China might decide to simply continue doing what it wants without much concern about what the West thinks.

My pessimistic heart is worried about China and my cynical intellect tells me that the West will have to deal with China sooner or later.

Fortunately, I can run for the sake of running and be free of politics. Sadly, the same cannot be said of the Olympics.

Falling into Chaos

by Leave a Comment

Rwanda, as the world sometimes remembers, was drenched in blood in 1994 as the Hutus slaughtered between 500,000 to a million Tutsis. Somalia, as the world also sometimes remembers, is an ongoing disaster. Many have died there, many have fled and many are eking out an existence in horrible camps. Iraq and Afghanistan are plagued by violence. While these are fairly well known horrors, to those who know history, they are but the latest installments in episodes of chaos and blood that have plagued humanity.

In the case of Somalia, the West (well, the United States) tried to intervene and establish some degree of order. This, as everyone who saw Blackhawk Down knows, did not turn out well. Today, Ethiopian troops are trying to maintain order in the remains of the country. Not surprisingly, they are meeting with little success. The United States seems to lack the desire to go back into that mess and perhaps rightfully so. After all, what sane person wants to risk being murdered and having his corpse dragged through the streets by a cheering crowd of the very people he came to help?

In the case of Rwanda, the West failed to act. With the events of the battle of Mogadishu fresh in the minds of many Americans, the idea of sending Americans to risk death because yet another country was tearing itself to bloody shreds was hardly appealing. Whether the West should have acted is a matter that has been intensely debated.

On one hand, it can be argued that moral decency requires that we (Americans) act to do what is right. Genocide is an obvious evil, so we should have acted. Naturally, if we had done this, some would have shaken their heads at American imperialism and the thought that America was once again trying to play world police.

On the other hand, it can be argued that the people of a country are fundamentally responsible for their own order and that other countries cannot be morally expected to make up for their failures. If the people cannot create a functioning government, it might be the harsh reality that they are getting what they deserve. Further, each people is supposed to have a basic right of autonomy. They should be free to decide their own fate-perhaps even when that fate is chaos, blood and death. Finally, the West has long been criticized for taking the approach that it is the force of order and civilization in the world and thus has the right (or the duty) to act in this manner. Hence, the West should stay out of such matters and let people kill each other if that is what they want to do.

This position does, obviously enough, seem devoid of compassion. After all, it can be argued, the people who tend to suffer the most are the powerless and they cannot be held responsible for the failure of a state in which they had little or no input. To leave them to suffer and die would be an act of moral evil.

This brief discussion does show  two of the basic moral points. The first point is that letting people suffer and die is clearly not morally acceptable. The second point is that people are morally accountable and have a basic right to autonomy. One problem is balancing the two: doing the right thing without violating the principles of autonomy and accountability. There are also the practical problems: just how does one go about rebuilding countries from political and social ruin…and how does one pay for it?

%d bloggers like this: