The task of contemporary philosophers: Urging the US Government to carry out the world denuclearization campaign to the end

It is absurd to spend much time on logic while our souls are at stake.The object of philosophical thinking should be to cure the soul. L. A. Seneca

Shall we put an end to the human race; or shall mankind renounce war?《Russell-Einstein Manifesto》

We may look at the Gladiator's life and death duel with indifference.And when they fight with weapons that will surely destroy the world, we can no longer be indifferent to them or run away,or support our own fighters to kill the others. For survival of all, we should stand in front of the strongest and  reasonable one among them, persuade him to destroy his weapons, then let him ask the others to destroy theirs. This is the best policy. Solatle Lu

Heraclitus said,"War is father of all and king of all; and some he manifested as gods, some as men; some he made slaves, some free."War has a positive effect in human evolutionary history,We can't just say no to wars. He added, To pray for an end to war is to hope for an end to the world.

However, we should also see that future wars are completely different from all previous wars,it's extinct. It no longer makes heroes of war and gives freedom for anybody, it will only make people become slaves and victims of natural forces and evil forces, and speed up the Doomsday. Prevention of war has become a top urgent task for human survival and development.

Nuclear bomb:Useless weapon

Today's situation is not optimistic.All nuclear powers are committed to enriching their nuclear arsenals,Nuclear weapons plants operate day and night,nuclear experts are racking their brains for an upgrade plan,nuclear bombs in some countries are in a state of launch,non-nuclear countries are trying hard to squeeze into the nuclear club,or seeking nuclear umbrella,  international terrorist organizations are also waiting for their opportunities.

The future nuclear war must be a new world war. But one thing is certain: a new world war can't happen, because its foundation has already been cleared up completely, even small and medium-sized wars are going to be difficult today.The proliferation of democratic institutions and democratic consciousness, the integration of the industrial and commercial world, the rapid growth of the world population and the wide flow of people, have made the war occupied an unprofitable fool.More importantly,The destruction of nuclear weapons is huge and there will be endless troubles followed,no one can benefit from a nuclear war. In addition, any country that dares to launch a nuclear war must be prepared to bear double punishment. In the end, it is likely to be Mutually Assured Destruction .

This awful and sad prospect is generally foreseen,people fear of nuclear war,therefore, it's impossible, nuclear weapons are unnecessary，no use at all.The current situation is just the result of mutual distrust, mutual suspicion and mutual precautions.

The idea of "nuclear war without winners", nuclear proliferation can prevent World War Ⅲ, is not reliable, yet it hides a real danger. Two films, "Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb" and "Fail Safe", tell us that nuclear war is very likely to occur in contingencies. Considering that survival or death depends in a flash, the fast may lives, the slow surely dies, any contingency will immediately develop into an unexpected world war----triggered the hypersensitive military chain reaction. The safety of billions of people in the world cannot be placed on such a fragile and increasingly fragile basis.

Nuclear bombs are either idle forever, or used for the last chance---- holistic suicide.

Our immediate task is to reveal the truth and let the world understand that, even in a world of chaos and fighting, nuclear weapons are not necessary, and we should hate them and discard them rather than now love them and pursue them, and a nuclear free world is possible.

A nuclear free world is not necessarily a peaceful and harmonious world. Fighting and killing will continue. But it is a safer and more hopeful world for most people, and more beneficial to friendly exchanges and economic construction. For this reasons, it's worth our efforts.

A simple and efficient road

Today, the trend of nuclear proliferation seems unstoppable, harder to reverse and to eliminate. The prospect is dim, the longer we wait the worse the problem become.

Philosopher's answer to this thorny problem may be exceptionally simple and thorough. That is to urge the United States to unilaterally destroy all their own nuclear facilities and nuclear weapons. After that or at the same time,  the US government submits a comprehensive nuclear weapons proposal to the United Nations to declare nuclear weapons illegal.

Inventing nuclear weapons and annihilate them once and for all, that might be what the United States would do at the same day of the end of World War II, and could be done easily. At that time, the Soviet Union and other countries had urged the United States to do so, today's nuclear crisis will not exist.

Historically, the United States was not a belligerent country, on the contrary, had a reputation for evasion of war and of isolationism. It was forced to become the first country in the world to successfully develop a nuclear bomb and implement its application, witnessed its great destructive power and the nature of anti human beings.The best thing is to comply with the public opinions and immediately eliminate the malignant new thing in the cradle after the war, analogous to removing the cancer that has just been revealed in human body.

The United States has not done so, Instead, try hard to produce and upgrade nuclear weapons from then on. Therefore, It has to take responsibility for the subsequent nuclear proliferation and nuclear crisis in the world, and there are no excuses for this responsibility. Now it is difficult to make up for this aim, but not impossible, if decide to do it. It is clear that, the United States unilaterally destroys nuclear weapons to facilitate the realization of a nuclear free world is a duty of itself rather than a voluntary  behavior.

The world was highly appraised of Obama, the forty-fourth president of the United States, for his great efforts in this regard. In April of 2009,at the beginning of his inauguration, he promised to reduce nuclear weapons during his term of office so as to achieve a nuclear free world. Prior to his visit to Japan in May 2016, he reiterated the establishment of a world without nuclear weapons.As the president of the most enriching nuclear arsenal, his approach is unprecedented and shows that the United States is a responsible big country.

His initiative has made the world look at the United States differently, improving the shape of the United States in the eyes of the world. For that, he won the Nobel peace prize next year.

People with basic knowledge of physics  understand that nuclear bombs are a great curse to the world，even if it just to be made and stored,not to use.When using, it is blind, barbarous and extinct, soldiers and civilians, the good and the bad, friends and enemies, treasure and waste, nothing can survive, human civilization will be destroyed in one day.

The nuclear bomb is the  nastiest and most  horrible evil murder weapon in human history, has become public enemy of human beings. It should be condemned by the highest conscience of mankind, can not be allowed to exist in the world. Only after it is completely removed from the earth, can the world have basic justice. Why not nuclear weapons can be banned since chemical weapons has been banned, as well as biological weapons ? In practice, it is easier to ban than the first two weapons.

From this point of view, we will immediately find that Obama's approach is a good beginning but useless at the end.The nuclear powers negotiated and signed an agreement to reduce nuclear stockpiles, which began half a century ago when Nixon was in power. It has proved to be obsolete, unproductive, and failed to prevent nuclear proliferation and its escalation.Even if it lasted for another 100 years, there would be no real effects. When Obama visited Japan, the Washington Post pointed out: "eliminate nuclear weapons, do it from home",that's the unique way!!!

Two years after World War II, in an open conversation entitled Atomic War or Peace，Albert Einstein had criticized the way:Now that the war is over，there is no provocation at all and, therefore,no reasons to use the atomic bomb as a means of retaliation or vengeance, the United States has not declared that the atomic bomb is illegal yet, only to show that It has taken the atomic bomb as a political capital，this is not supposed to be done. At the same time, he pointed out that the favorable condition for the United States to do so is that there is little need to worry about the direct attack on its homeland.

I can assert that as long as the United States takes a real step in this aim，other countries will follow up. Also, no country dared to vote against the proposal for the prohibition of nuclear weapons submitted by the US Government to the United Nations, the nuclear free world can be achieved immediately.The United States is like the pillar of the world nuclear club building. Once withdrawn, the building will collapse at once, nothing left.

Of course, the task of nuclear free world is not just the US domestic affairs, nor just the campaign slogan of the president of the United States. It relates to world peace, is a major event in the world, can not be interrupted。 We need to persist the task in the end, do not stop until its complete realization.

We are encouraged by the tenacious fighting spirit of American people. There are more than 80 anti nuclear groups in the United States,they are the backbone of the movement. So long as they recognize the unique way of the campaign, the goal of the world denuclearization will soon be achieved.

The task of contemporary philosophers

In order to eliminate the nuclear crisis, some people need to stand up for propaganda and persuasion.From our experience, this task cannot be expected of politicians，because they are considering realistic and current national interests, almost impossible to get rid of national prejudice and national disagreements from their minds. This is also the reason why nuclear negotiations are useless.

Nor can this task be done by scientists or entrepreneurs.They often focus on material things and tangible benefits, pursuing the highest interests. They are also accustomed to  special research and thematic research, has become shortsighted and narrow-minded. In fact, the current situation is made by them and politicians.

The ideal candidates to accomplish this task are philosophers. Philosophy is not a profession, and there is no inherent natural connection between philosophers and interest groups.They also possess the characteristics of wisdom, justice and excellence in distinguishing beauty from ugliness, distinguishing good from evil, and distinguishing truth from false.They are the best candidates for the Judges of the World Rational Court.

There is a consensus that philosophy and science are Greek inventions. Since then, the idea of philosophy and philosopher's uselessness also became popular. Philosophers were therefore neglected by society, often excluded and suppressed. In response to this situation and avoid harming themselves, Socrates called on "fighters" to stay away from politics, and their influence on political and social life was declining from then on.Today, they belittle themselves to a group of office workers who are attached to some Departments and working in the modern high-grade office buildings.

Now, when the world is facing crisis, and there is no safe corner anywhere, when people from all walks of life are helpless, philosophers should come forward, dedicate their wisdom and talent unreservedly, alliances with the power of justice, to eliminate the crisis, for a safer and healthy environment.

This is also a chance to change people's idea of philosophy uselessness----philosophical wisdom will glow the radiance in distress, wise thoughts will be more persuasive in time of danger.

Scientists have a peace organization called "Pugwash Conferenceson on Science and World Affairs", philosophers should set up such an organization or unite with them.

This is not the end. the original meaning of philosophy is idealism, and philosophers are idealists.They won't be satisfied with the most intelligent way to eliminate the obstacles and crises on the way forward, their ultimate goal is to clean up the soil of the crisis and evil  thoroughly, push the world into an ideal state and achieve world harmony.

【Background】

Solatle Lu，a retired professor of Southwest Forestry Uiversity。

Kuming,Yunnan,China,650224，SolatleLu@163.com

This is a copy of a paper which I have submitted for the 24th World Congress of Philosophy,held in Beijing in August of 2018. The paper is limited to 3000 words, and the copy is not subject to this restriction.The main points of the two are the same. My intention is to get the support of the participating philosophers and work together to do a real thing for world peace.

Philosophy is love of wisdom, all ignorance and evil conducts are its natural enemies. This characteristic of philosophy requires philosophers to act as the ultimate guardians of human justice.

Nuclear threat and nuclear proliferation are the most evil and horrifying phenomena in the world after World War II. Deal with the situation, I'm not just impulsive today to write this paper. When Obama put forward a nuclear free world slogan nearly 10 years ago, I had posted three support posts. They are,

1, For a nuclear free world, help Obama become holy.

2, A large number of scientific elites have been doing an inefficient labour for a long time: developing nuclear bombs.

3, Why not nuclear weapons can be banned since chemical weapons has been banned as well as biological weapons ?

They are still online, and I have mentioned them many times in my later works. That all lead to a special goal.: I want to take advantage of Obama's proposal, and let the subsequent government of the United States takes it as its basic national policy, continue the policy, until it is realized.

Just as I thought, the present US government has stopped talking about this goal, shows no intention of continuing the campaign. worse yet,President Donald Trump occasionally hinted that the nuclear button on his desk was not an ornament, it could be activated at any time. It is the right time for me to post this paper.

If this paper can be adopted by the Conference and supported by the philosophers as I expected, I am sure the world will be denuclearization within 10 years. But things were not going smoothly, this paper was rejected half a year later in  the following words: This article is more like the debate in newspapers and magazines, not in the category of philosophical papers.

Even so, I won't give up. Recently, I posted another article on the Internet entitled: High up Obama's flag, carry out the world denuclearization campaign to the end.

This is my future program of action and my determination.It is also my expectation and request for everyone. I am full of confidence in the future of the world，believe that mankind will eventually take the initiative to eliminate nuclear weapons instead of  passively waiting for nuclear weapons to destroy themselves.

当代哲学家的任务：敦促美国政府将世界无核化运动进行到底

当我们的灵魂危在旦夕的时候，把大量时间花在逻辑上，未免荒唐；哲学思考的对象应当是治愈灵魂。 塞尼卡

我们要置人类于末日，还是人类该弃绝战争？ 《罗素-爱因斯坦宣言》

我们或许会用冷漠的目光观看角斗士的生死决斗。而当角斗士手拿灭世武器决斗时，我们就不能继续漠视他们或躲开去，或支持己方斗士去杀死其余的斗士。为所有人的生存，我们要站到他们当中最强大又最为通情达理者前，劝说他带头毁掉自己手中的武器，然后让他要求其他角斗士毁掉各自手中的武器。这是最优的策略。 陆苏拉德

赫拉克利特说，“战争是万物之父，是万物之王，它使一些人成为神，使一些人成为人，使一些人成为奴隶，使一些人获得自由”，战争在人类进化上具有推动作用，不能一概否定。他又说，祈求停止战争等于期望世界的末日。

然而，我们也要看到，未来的战争已经完全不同于以往所有的战争，它是绝灭性的。它不再能够造就战斗英雄和给人提供自由，只会让人成为自然力和邪恶势力的奴隶和牺牲品，加速世界末日的到来。

制止战争，维护和平成了人类生存和发展刻不容缓的任务。

一、百无一用是核弹

当今形势不容乐观：核大国致力于充实核武库,核武器工厂在不停运转；核武器专家在绞尽脑汁研制升级计划，个别国家的核弹处于发射状态；无核国家在千方百计往核俱乐部里挤或寻求核保护伞；一些地区出现剑拔弩张之势，国际恐怖组织也时刻在伺机而动。

未来的核战争必定是一场新的世界大战。但有一点是肯定的：世界大战不可能发生，因为它的基础已被彻底清除。民主制度和民主意识的扩散，工商业世界的一体化，世界人口迅猛的增长和广泛的人群流动，已经让占地夺财的战争成为无利可图的愚行。更重要的是，核武器杀伤力巨大，且后患无穷，哪一方都难望从核战中获益。加之，任何发动核战争的国家都无可避免地要准备承受加倍的惩罚，很可能是同归于尽的结局。

核弹要么永远闲置无用，要么最后用一次──用于集体自杀。

人们普遍预见到这种既可怕又可悲的前景，反战情绪强烈，因而核战争是没有可能发生的，核武器是多余的，毫无用处。当前的局势实是互不信任，相互猜疑，相互防范的心理造成的。

关于“核战无赢家”，核扩散能够防止世界大战的观点，却是靠不住的，还会隐含着一种风险。电影《奇爱博士》和《核子战争》描述的就是这种风险：核战争有可能在某次突发事件中爆发。出于“生死就在一瞬间：手快者可能生，手慢者必死”的考虑，任何这类突发事件立即会引发世界大战──启动了高度敏感的军事链式反应。世界几十亿人的安危不能够置于这么脆弱且越来越脆弱的基础之上。

当前一个紧迫的工作就是将真相揭露出来，让世人明白，即使在混乱和争斗的世界中，核武器也是不必要的。让人们从爱它追求它转而恨它和抛弃它，无核世界就有可能实现。

无核世界并非太平盛世，打斗杀戮仍会泛滥和持续，但对大多数人来说是相对安全更有希望的世界，对友好往来和经济建设更是大有好处，我们就有必要为之而努力。

二、简单又彻底的道路

面对当前局势，核扩散的趋势似乎不可遏止，更难逆转，消除核危机显得困难重重，遥遥无期，而且越拖越难办。

哲学家对这一棘手难题的解答却可能是异常之简单而彻底的，那就是：敦促美国单方面销毁全部核设施和核武器，之后或同时，向联合国递交全面禁止核武器提案，宣布核武器非法。

发明核武器又亲手将它一劳永逸地绝灭掉，这其实是美国在二战结束当天就可以做而且轻而易举就能做到的事，当时苏联等国家就曾敦促美国这样做，今天的核危机就不存在了。

从历史上看，美国并非是个好战的国家，反有逃避战事，奉行孤立主义之名，却无奈地成了世界上第一个成功研制核弹并实施应用的国家，见证到它

的巨大破坏力和反人类的本质。理性的做法是，顺应民意，战后立即动手将这一恶性的新生事物窒灭在摇篮中，就像将人体上刚冒头的癌瘤一刀切除一样。

美国没有这样做，相反，变本加厉地生产和升级核武器，就不能不为其后世界核扩散和核危机负责，没有任何借口可以开脱这个责任。现在补做这一工作虽则难度增大，但也不是不可能做到的事，只要有决心。要明白，今天美国单方销毁核武器，促成无核世界的实现是自身的义务而不是义举。

值得称道的是，美国第44任总统奥巴马在这方面作出了巨大的努力。他在2009年4月上任之初即承诺，在任期内将致力于削减核武器，以期实现一个无核化的世界。2016年5月访问日本前，他再度重申建立“一个没有核武器的世界”。作为核武库最充实的国家的总统，他的表态称得上是史无前例，表明美国是一个负责任的大国。

他这一倡议让世界对美国另眼相看，提升了美国在世人心目中的形象，他也因此举而荣获次年的诺贝尔和平奖。

具有基本物理常识的人都晓得，核弹即使只生产和储存不用，对世界都是种不折不扣的祸害。用起来就是盲目的、野蛮的和灭绝性的，军人与平民，好人与坏人，朋友与仇敌，宝物与废物，无一能够幸免，人类文明将毁于一旦。

核弹是人类历史上精心制造出来最下作且最凶狠邪恶的杀人武器，已经成为人类公敌，应受人类最高良知的谴责，不能见容于世，务必彻底地从地球上清除之才谈得上基本的人间正义。化学武器能禁，生物武器能禁，核武器为何不禁？在实际操作方面它比前两种武器更易禁。

从这个角度，我们立即会发现奥巴马的做法是个好开端，却又是全无效用的。核大国谈判，签订削减各方核库存的协议，半个世纪前从尼克松执政时就开始了，已成老套，毫无作用，也未能阻止核扩散和升级，即使再搞100年都不会有实质性的效果。唯一正确的道路是《华盛顿邮报》在奥巴马访日时指出的：“消除核武器，从本国做起”！！！

爱因斯坦在二战结束两年之后，曾发表题为“要原子战争还是要和平”（1947年11月）的评论，指出，“在没有任何挑衅，也没有任何理由要把它作为报复或者复仇之用的情况下，美国却拒绝宣布原子弹为非法，那是因为它把占有原子弹作为政治资本，这就很难说是正当的。”(《文集》三p228)同时指出美国这样做的有利条件是“对其本土的直接攻击几乎不必担心。”

可以断言，只要美国往这个目标迈出切实的一步，其他国家就会跟进。在这前后，美国提交联合国的禁核提案，没有任何国家敢于投反对票，无核世界目标立即就能实现。美国犹如世界核俱乐部大厦的顶梁柱，一旦撤出，核俱乐部就会轰然坍塌，片瓦无存。

我们也看到，无核世界目标从一开始就不单是美国的国内事务，更不仅仅是美国总统的竞选口号。它关系世界和平，是世界大事，我们不能让它中断，需要坚持到底，不达目的不罢休。

令我们感到鼓舞的是美国人民的斗争精神。在那里有80多个反核团体，不断举行声势浩大的和平运动。他们只要认准那股唯一正确的道路，坚持斗争，无核世界的目标很快就能实现。

三、当代哲学家的使命

要消除核危机，需要有人站出来做宣传和劝导的工作。从我们的经验就知道，这个任务不能指望政治家去完成。因为他们考虑的是现实的、国家当前的利益，难以摆脱民族偏见和国民歧见──这也是核谈判难有成效的原因。

这个工作也不能依赖科学家或实业家去承担。因为他们关注的是实物和实利，利益至上，还因他们的头脑习惯于专题和专项研究而变得偏狭，不够开阔。事实上，当前的局势就是他们和政治家共同造成的。

完成这一重任理想的人选是哲学家。哲学不是一种职业，哲学家与各种利益集团没有内在的天然的联系，加上哲学家拥有智慧，正义和优异的辨美丑辨善恶辨真伪能力等特点，是世界理性法庭法官最优的人选。

人们一个共识是，哲学和科学皆是希腊人的发明。然而，哲学和哲学家无用的观念也在希腊时期就开始流行开来了，哲学家由之受冷落，不时还受排挤和受打压。为顺应这种形势并规避风险，苏格拉底在法庭申辩时曾呼吁“斗士们”远离政治，哲学家对政治和社会生活的影响也就日渐式微，今天终至于沦落为依附于部门，在现代化高档写字楼中众多循规蹈矩的上班族中的一族。

而如今，当世界面临危机，天下已无任何安全的角落，各界人士束手无策之时，哲学家就应当挺身而出，将自己的智慧和才能无保留地奉献出来，与正义势力结盟，共同努力，消除危机，让人民同时让自己生活在安全与健康的环境中。

这也是改变哲学无用论的契机──哲学智慧在危难中将焕发奇光异彩，睿智的思想在危难中将会变得富有说服力。

科学家有个名为“帕格沃什运动”的和平组织，哲学家更应当成立这样性质的组织，或与“帕格沃什运动”联合。

不限于此，哲学的本义是理想主义，哲学家是理想主义者。他们不满足于以最智慧的方式消除前进道路上遭遇的各种障碍和危机，还要彻底清除危机和罪恶发生的土壤，推动世界进入理想状态，实现世界大同。

【背景】

这是我为2018年秋在北京召开的第24届世界哲学大会提交的一篇论文，其用意在获取与会哲学家的支持，共同为世界和平做一件实事，大事。这是副本，正式文稿按要求压缩为3000字，要点相同。

哲学是爱智慧，愚昧和恶行是它的天然仇敌，势不两立。哲学这一特点要求哲学家充当人间正义的终极卫士，与一切愚昧和邪恶的势力作斗争。

核威胁和核扩散是二战后世界上最邪恶最恐怖的现象。我对这一现象，并不是今天才心血来潮写下这篇文章，将近10年前奥巴马提出无核世界口号后我就连续写了三篇支持性帖子，包括

1、为无核世界，助奥巴马成圣。

2、一大批科技精英长期进行一项无效劳动：研制核弹。

3、化学武器能禁，生物武器能禁，核武器为何不禁？

它们现在还挂在网上。在后来的著作中又多次提到它们，作为个人，我想我算是尽力了。其用意是抓住这一千载难逢的机会（美国总统反核），顺势而为，让美国后届政府将其作为基本国策，持续下去，不让其中断，直到完成。

诚如我所料，美国现政府就不再提此事，更没有延续这一运动的意思，特朗普总统不时还咄咄逼人地暗示自己办公桌上的核按钮不是装饰品，是可以随时启动的。我发表这篇论文可说是应时之举。

这篇论文如果能够被大会采纳，能得到哲学家的支持，世界无核化的前景就有望在10年之内实现。事情却没有这么顺利，论文提交半年之后被断然否决了，其理由就一句话：“ 文章更类似于报刊争论，并不属于哲学论文范畴”。

尽管希望落空，我却不轻言放弃。我最近在网络上发表的一篇文章的题目是： 高举奥巴马的大旗，将世界无核化运动进行到底！

这就是我今后的行动纲领和决心，也是对世人的普遍期望和要求。我对世界的未来充满信心，相信人类必定能够消灭核武器，而不会等着核武器来消灭自己。