Abolition and delegitimation

abolition central claim

other weapons have been banned, why not nws

Stephen Pinker earlier work

The Better Angels of our Nature 2011 - mass moral aversion to nws since WWII

Stephen Pinker later work

Enlightenment Now 2018 - rationality and morals. Norms contain the destruction. Critical of doom narrative

Thomas Sauer

Urgency to avoid nuclear war outweighs the risks of abolition

Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons

shows non-nuclear states’ impatience, normative struggle

abolition counterpoint

Cheating at disarmament is so costly. required hugely powerful IGO

unique problem with nws

it is easy to hide a small amount but that amount can destroy nations

abolition counter-counterpoint

these risks are inferior to the risk of total human destruction

Delegitimation central claim

reducing the legitimacy of nws by making them unnecessary

delegitimation and constructivism

bombs are physical object and society construct their meanings - they can be deconstructed

delegitimation and demise of the USSR

Nws had powerful ontological meaning —> weapons lost their threat to the US —> Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan gave theirs up = symbol of soviet backwardness

Delegitimation Nick Ritchie

reframe nws as humanitarian catastrophies

delegitimation counterpoint

historical evidence suggests deterrence works giving nws legitimacy

delegitimation counter-counterpoint

if deterrence works, why has every nation not tried to get nws

constructivism = deterrence can be deconstructed

weaponless deterrence

nations dismantle nws but maintain the ability to rebuild them quickly