J. Robert Oppenheimer Essay: Info on Post-Atomic Bomb Feelings & Ethics

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In summary, Oppenheimer was a brilliant physicist who was integral to the development of the atomic bomb. He later became embroiled in a controversy over the possibility of an H-bomb and lost his security clearance. He later became the president of the Institute for Advanced Study.
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barcat
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I have to do a short (500-700 word)essay on the J. Robert Oppenheimer. I did a google on him and it came back with about a qazillion.
Does anyone know any good links?
I'm looking specificaly for info about what he felt after the dropped the bombs, and the possible moral and ethical issues during that era.
Thanks- barry.
 
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I'm not sure if this is within the scope of what you are supposed to be writing about, but the most interesting things about him happened after WWII. He butted heads with Edward Teller over the H-Bomb and was kicked out of the program out of spite.
 
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1) Before WWII he and another man, whose name I forget, showed that if the fusion stopped in a sufficiently massive star it would shrink under its own gravity and no physics known then could halt it. It would shrink right down to a mathematical singularity and become a black hole. This paper was ignored because influential physicists of the time didn't believe a singularity was possible.

2) During WWII he was made head of the scientific part of the project to build an atomic bomb, code named the Mnhattan Project. It was he who picked the site for it, up in the mountains at Los Alamos New Mexico. When he viewed the test bomb explosion in July 1945 he thought of a line from the Baghavad-Gita, "I am become death, the destroyer of worlds." Later he said that with nuclear weapons, Physics had known sin.

3) After WWII a controversy arose over the possibility of an H-bomb. Teller, who had been at Los Alamos with Oppenheimer passionately believed it could be built. Opeenheimer was a skeptic. When the red hunt of those days showed that some of Oppenheimer's close relatives had been Communists, he was investigated. Teller famously told the investigators he didn't have complete faith in Oppenheimer's loyalty, and Oppenheimer lost his security clearance. He became the President of the Institute for Advanced Study (home in his day of Einstein, Goedel, and John Nash among many others).
 

What were J. Robert Oppenheimer's feelings after the atomic bomb was dropped?

J. Robert Oppenheimer, the lead scientist of the Manhattan Project, had mixed feelings after the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. On one hand, he felt a sense of accomplishment for successfully completing the project and helping end World War II. On the other hand, he also felt a sense of guilt and remorse for the immense destruction and loss of life caused by the bomb.

Did J. Robert Oppenheimer regret his involvement in the Manhattan Project?

While he did express regret and sorrow for the consequences of the atomic bomb, J. Robert Oppenheimer never explicitly stated that he regretted his involvement in the Manhattan Project. He believed that the bomb was necessary to end the war and prevent further loss of life.

How did J. Robert Oppenheimer view the use of atomic weapons after the war?

Following the war, J. Robert Oppenheimer became a vocal advocate for international control and regulation of atomic weapons. He believed that the use of atomic weapons should be limited and closely monitored to prevent the devastation seen in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

What were the ethical considerations surrounding the development and use of the atomic bomb?

The development and use of the atomic bomb raised numerous ethical considerations. Oppenheimer and other scientists involved in the Manhattan Project were aware of the immense power of the bomb and the potential consequences of using it. There were debates about the moral responsibility of creating such a destructive weapon and the implications of using it on civilian populations.

How did J. Robert Oppenheimer's views on atomic weapons change over time?

While Oppenheimer initially believed that the atomic bomb was necessary to end the war, his views on atomic weapons shifted over time. He became increasingly concerned about the potential for nuclear war and advocated for international control and regulation. He also expressed regret and guilt for his role in creating the bomb, leading to his security clearance being revoked during the Red Scare of the 1950s.

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