Ethical Dilemmas of US Antiterrorism Policy

APR 01, 2004

Brian Connolly

I hope that Charles McQueary does not mean to suggest that the research he mentions is without moral and ethical problems (see the McQueary interview, Physics Today, July 2003, page 32 ). Like many who recruit physicists for national security, he ignores the bigger picture. For instance, McQueary says that he would use university researchers to develop sociological profiles on terrorists. Should we ignore that this technology could simply be a sophisticated version of racial profiling, which could lead to the arrest of innocent people? Should we ignore the chance that this technology could be used to violate citizens’ civil rights?

Of course the defense of innocent people is important, but McQueary should be honest in his assessment of both the exciting challenges and the possible destructive consequences of defense work.

More about the Authors

Brian Connolly. (connolly@nevis.columbia.edu) Columbia University, New York City, US .