Accessory to War

Everyone draws the line for what they consider ethical in their own way. It's especially evident when looking at career paths that end up tied to more controversial areas. Among many of my classmates, deciding whether or not the defense industry is a morally bankrupt industry lay at the forefront of major choices. Specifically, as engineers, many of us had to chose whether or not we are willing to work for companies that support the military industrial complex. And if we're okay with it, how far are we willing to go. However, engineers are far from the only profession facing this quandary. Historically, conflict and scientific progress have been closely linked. 

One of the most outspoken astrophysicists, Neil de Grasse Tyson, and his coauthor Avis Lang, intend to address this issue in Accessory to War: The Unspoken Alliance Between Astrophysics and the Military. In it, the beginning starts with the astrophysicist's view of their professional conferences getting getting roped into the wars in the Middle East. I'll come back to this later, but Mr. Tyson clearly is a pacifist, but in expressing this, his is up in arms against those who are less so.

Following this opening, the focus of the first half is on the history of astronomy and optics. Then, by shifting via the discovery of infrared and ultraviolet spectra to phenomena that are not directly observable, the focus shifts more to other parts of the electromagnetic spectrum and their applications. The Space Race, understandably, also prominently features in the work. This part of the content, historical overview, is great. It's in depth, well written, and overall a fascinating tale of human ingenuity and creativity. The Space Race portion also included modern scientific and military applications, including the ISS.

Ultimately, I have a bit of a bone to pick with the tone of this book. Neil de Grasse Tyson is free to believe astrophysicists are unwitting tools whose pure intentions are bent to the military's will and corrupted against the better nature of the scientists. Listening to him, you get the impression that astrophysicists are pure, enlightened beings elevated above Earthly concerns like war and aggression. At the same time, he regularly speaks of the physicists, engineers, and chemists who actually design and build weapons of war in condescending tones. He's entitled to his opinion. However, I'm also entitled to mine. And I think that he sounds like someone who I would not want to grab a coffee or a beer with.

Although the history of optics, observation, the Space Race, and astronomy/astrophysics was engaging, I don't think I recommend this book. These are fairly niche topics that most won't find particularly engaging (I mean, learning about the optical glass production rates in pre- and post- WWI Germany is starting to push it even for me). Final verdict - read it if you really like the intersection of physics and history. Skip otherwise.