Transcript Books or bombs? Science and Technology Seminar IPB/IPS

Science and Technology
Books or bombs?
Seminar IPB/IPS
Reiner Braun
Project Coordinator INES
International Network of Engineers and
Scientists For Global Responsibility
11/12 November 2007
Reiner Braun IPB workshop Cairo
• Science and engineering is a part of the
problems of the society as they can be
a part of the solution
• Scientific and technological development
today is a part of the neoliberalistic
capitalistic development (mainstream
science)
• Science could be a part of an alternative
social and ecological path: sustainable
science for another world is possible
11/12 November 2007
Reiner Braun IPB workshop Cairo
Challenges for science:
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Climate change and global warming
Health care or pharmaceutics profit
Working places or shareholder value
Genetic engineering of local ecological
agriculture
General: for human being of for profit
For war or for peace
11/12 November 2007
Reiner Braun IPB workshop Cairo
Changes in “Science”
• New fields of research, renewable energy
• New priorities of spending money for
research
• Democratic structures, independence from
industry and politics
• Participation, freedom of thinking
• Interdisciplinary
• Basic research on fields of sustainability
11/12 November 2007
Reiner Braun IPB workshop Cairo
Science and engineering for war
Every war in the history was based on
scientific and/or engineering discoveries
From Greek till to the nuclear bomb
11/12 November 2007
Reiner Braun IPB workshop Cairo
Military research and development
Or
Militarization of science
Privatization
2007:
50% of all engineers and 40% of all
scientists in the USA work for military
purposes
11/12 November 2007
Reiner Braun IPB workshop Cairo
Military R&D: global context
• Government R&D spending in industrialised
countries (2004)
– Military: $85 billion
– Health & environment: $50 billion
– Renewable energy: <$1 billion
11/12 November 2007
Reiner Braun IPB workshop Cairo
The role of the USA
• US percentage of world government R&D
– Military: 83%
– Health & environment: 66%
– Renewable energy: 26%
• High level of US military R&D spending
encourages others to increase spending –
even allies
11/12 November 2007
Reiner Braun IPB workshop Cairo
Military v Health & Environment
Government R&D in 2004
80
70
$ billion (PPP) 2004
60
50
Health & Env R&D
40
Military R&D
30
20
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11/12 November 2007
Reiner Braun IPB workshop Cairo
Source: AAAS, 2006
Main areas of Military R&D
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General munitions and explosives
Cross-cutting technologies, e.g. sensors
Command systems, e.g. computing
Close combat support
Counter terrorism
Robotic/fixed wing aircraft and helicopters
Maritime weapons and vessels
Complex weapons
Emerging technologies, e.g. nanotechnologies
Chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN)
11/12 November 2007
Reiner Braun IPB workshop Cairo
Dual Use technologies
Civilian and military use:
• Knife
• Nuclear materials for energy or nuclear weapons
How to deal with the problem:
• Public awareness and democracy
• Openness against military secret
• Control system, international cooperation
11/12 November 2007
Reiner Braun IPB workshop Cairo
Military corporations
• Majority of military R&D (including governmentfunded R&D) takes place within industry
– Represents a large subsidy
• some major military corporations
– Boeing, Northdrop ,Lockhheed etc
– Krauss-Maffey Germany, Siemens
– BAE
– European: EADS
(see Dhanapala: lecture at the conference)
11/12 November 2007
Reiner Braun IPB workshop Cairo
Military & universities
• Numerous paths for military funding of R&D in
universities – many unquantified (US,GB,
Russia)
• Government schemes
– Through military labs, civilian Research Councils etc
• Corporate schemes
– Large programmes run by Rolls Royce, QinetiQ
• Joint government-industry schemes
– Defence Technology Centres
– Towers of Excellence
– Defence & Aerospace Research Partnerships
11/12 November 2007
Reiner Braun IPB workshop Cairo
Military science education
• Military corporations are especially
involved in sci/tech education
• Schools
– provide sci/tech curriculum materials
• Colleges
– Apprenticeships, especially engineering
• Universities
– R&D funding influences on teaching
11/12 November 2007
Reiner Braun IPB workshop Cairo
Science for Peace
Peace Research and research for peaceful conflict
solution and prevention
Bigger support, new training programs and
scientific careers
Part of the education and the research at
universities
• Ethical codes
• 5 minutes for responsibility and peace
• New proposal: Boycott
11/12 November 2007
Reiner Braun IPB workshop Cairo
Scientists and Engineers for Peace
• Albert Einstein, Joseph Rotblat……
Engagement against weapons and war:
Russell- Einstein Manifesto
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Refuse to take part,
Whistleblowing
Scientifique peace organizations:
• Pugwash
• INES
11/12 November 2007
Reiner Braun IPB workshop Cairo
We appeal, as human beings. Remember
your humanity and forget the rest: If you
can do so, the way lies open for a new
paradise, if you cannot, there lies before
you the risk of universal death. (Russell- Einstein
Manifesto, April 1955)
Thank you
11/12 November 2007
Reiner Braun IPB workshop Cairo
11/12 November 2007
Reiner Braun IPB workshop Cairo