Killer Robots: Legality and Ethicality of Autonomous Weapons

The advent of autonomous weapons (computerized weapons that do no require any human input for carrying out core missions, including the capability to independently identify targets and trigger themselves) can presage either a progress towards humanizing war or an unprecedented danger to humanity, argues Krishnan (U. of Texas at El Paso), who analyzes the legal and ethical issues that arise from their contemplation. Over the course of six chapters, he discusses the history of autonomous weapons, the military advantages that they may have, current weapons systems under development and possible technological futures of warfare, the compatibility of autonomous weapons with international law and the conventions of war, general ethical positions and issues concerning autonomous weapons and military robotics, and possible regulations for autonomous weapons arms control. Annotation c2009 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Armin Krishnan is at the University of Texas at El Paso, USA