Unit5 suffering part 4a
Download as PPTX, PDF0 likes308 views
The document discusses the human cost of events and decisions, using the example of the United States dropping atomic bombs on Japan in 1945. It provides background on how nuclear fission was discovered based on Einstein's equation E=mc2. Physicists like Oppenheimer, Szilard and Teller fled Europe due to fascism, communism and anti-Semitism and worked on nuclear research in the US. The US spent significant money to develop nuclear weapons out of concerns that Nazi Germany may discover it first. Dropping the bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki was deemed acceptable due to the large estimated costs of Operation Downfall, a planned invasion of Japan, in terms of American casualties.
Unit5 suffering part 4a
- 1. Part 4: Human Cost • Your goal: Be able to explain, using examples, why suffering is sometimes deemed acceptable.
- 2. What is Human Cost? • The impact of an event on people. • The price in suffering paid to achieve a goal.
- 3. Cost Benefit Analysis • Decision-making tool • Compares costs to benefits • Is it worth it?
- 4. Cost Benefit Analysis Going to the State Fair Costs Benefits $12 ticket Fun with friends Unhealthy food Good food Sunburn Live shows Vomit Free exhibits Sore feet Art $20 souvenir t-shirt Goats $20 ride tickets Carnival rides
- 5. Acceptable Risk • Understanding what suffering might result • Deciding that the benefits outweigh the costs
- 6. Cost Benefit Analysis Dropping the atomic bomb on Japan Costs Benefits
- 7. The Nuclear Bomb The United States ended World War II by dropping nuclear bombs on Japan. •Where did this idea come from? •What is “nuclear”? •What were its effects?
- 8. Where did this idea come from? •Decades of research in physics and chemistry •Not bomb development It all came from the idea that matter can produce energy.
- 10. 2 E=mc E = mc², is based on the fact that the speed of light, c, is very fast and just a small amount of mass, m, can release large quantities of energy, E.
- 11. Physicists were leaving Europe. Oppenheimer Szilard Teller American Hungarian Jew Hungarian Jew Educated in Germany Came to US in 1938 Came to US in 1935 Why?
- 12. Physicists were leaving Europe. Why were such great physicists in Europe? Why were they leaving? Why?
- 13. Physicists were leaving Europe. Why were such great physicists in Europe? Why were they leaving? •Fascism •Communism •Anti-Semitism Why?
- 14. US paid for research. Once it was shown to have the potential to be a significant weapon, the US was willing to spend lots of money on research. It required LOTS of money, but … •Some country will discover it soon. •It might be Nazi Germany. •We’d rather have it ourselves.
- 15. What is “nuclear”? This is an atom. All matter is made up of atoms. This is a nucleus. Every atom has a very tiny nucleus.
- 16. What is “nuclear”? When an atom’s nucleus is hit, it breaks apart and sends out energy. LOTS of energy This nuclear fission can be a chain reaction.
- 17. What is “nuclear”? When an atom’s nucleus is hit, it breaks apart and sends out energy. LOTS of energy This is a nucleus. Every atom has a very tiny nucleus.
- 18. What is “nuclear”? We need energy for everything we do. This is a great, clean way to do it! Oh, … and it also makes a pretty powerful bomb
- 19. What is “nuclear”? Two incentives for developing nuclear fission: •A country needs energy. •A country needs weapons.
- 20. What did we do? In 1945, the US was planning an invasion of Japan: Operation Downfall Starting in Okinawa, it would be long and it would be bloody.
- 21. What did we do? Operation Downfall might cost as many as 1 million American casualties. US President Truman wanted to minimize American casualties. The atomic bomb made that possible.