| Aaron Gantt
HIST 4000-A01
June 12th, 2008
Second Book Review
Richard Mason
Oppenheimer’s Choice:
Reflections from Moral Philosophy
Canada: Little, Brown &
Company, 1995.
183 pp, notes.
0-7914-6781-3
In his book, Oppenheimer’s
Choice: Reflections from Moral Philosophy, Richard Mason, a Fellow
of Wolfson College at the University of Cambridge, examines how J.
Robert Oppenheimer came to be involved with the creation of the atomic
bomb and the philosophical significance of his actions. Mason states
that it is not his intention to shed light on anything new or
revolutionary. It is merely his goal to take a philosophical look at
some of the most significant decisions made during one of the most
pivotal moments in the history of mankind, the outcomes of these
decisions, and the man responsible for these decisions.
Throughout his book, Mason examines Oppenheimer’s contributions to the
development of the atomic bomb and, most importantly, the decisions
Oppenheimer
made during this crucial period of history; and uses them in exploring
many profound and complicated philosophical concepts. Thus, the book is
peppered with references to various philosophers and their ideas, such
as Socrates and Immanuel Kant. The enigmatic personality of Oppenheimer
makes for an exciting exploration into the “why’s” behind the choices he
made throughout the course of the Manhattan Project. Indeed, this
approach is
one of the most compelling aspects of Mason’s book, for the sheer nature of
Oppenheimer presents any philosopher a perfect opportunity to examine an
historical figure from a somewhat askew perspective such as the one
found among the pages of this scholarly work.
In his writings, Mason takes many different aspects of the building of
the atomic bomb and relates them to philosophical and moralistic
concepts. One such aspect is the conundrum of a group of people (the
people commissioned by their country to build the bomb) driven by the
perceived race against Nazi Germany in order to be the first to produce
atomic weapons that were, in the end, used against a nation that posed
no nuclear threat whatsoever (that nation being Japan). He also
explores the very essence of Oppenheimer’s decision to head the Los
Alamos Laboratories and the possible justifications that he might have
used to allow himself to be a part of such a monumental task. Overall,
the issues raised by Mason are quite fascinating, and are indeed a very
different way at looking at history. It is a perspective on history
that most historians might not consider.
In the end, this writer found Mason’s philosophical exploration of J.
Robert Oppenheimer and his participation in the construction of the atom
bomb to be a very different and interesting approach to such a critical
juncture in history. Mason has crafted a well-thought-out and educated,
yet somewhat confusing and chaotic book that takes on a very dubious
task of understanding the philosophical aspects of Oppenheimer’s
earth-shattering choices. Mason’s approach to the subject brings about
many intriguing concepts and questions that might otherwise go
unaddressed by some scholars who tend to look strictly at data and facts
rather than the “why’s” and mental mechanics that take place behind
history. However, being a philosopher, the questions that Mason brings
to the table are undeniably interesting, yet unfortunately he fails to
supply his readers with answers. For the most part, he presents models
upon which to base possible answers to these questions, and at best the
answers he does present are vague. Of course, that is the job of a
philosopher, and such an outcome is to be expected from a philosophical
approach.
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