The second Inklings gathering of the semester took place on Wednesday, March 8th. Dr. Tom Doyle spoke about “Preserving the Nuclear Taboo After a Nuclear First Use Event.” The talk explored how the logic of the nuclear taboo contrasted with the logic of nuclear deterrence, emphasizing that nuclear retaliation does not uphold the nuclear taboo. Dr. Doyle also reviewed various kinds of nuclear first use and the danger of nuclear escalation leading to global nuclear war.
Colton Halter, a graduate student in the department of political science, attended the event and commented, “Dr. Doyle’s presentation was an incredibly compelling look at nuclear non-use through a lens other than simple deterrence or mutually assured destruction. He explored the concept of the nuclear taboo, the idea that nuclear weapons are not used because of a moral revulsion, and how strengthening that taboo is one of the only ways to truly prevent nuclear war.”
The original Inklings consisted of a small group of intellectuals (whose ranks included J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis) who met weekly at Oxford University to read aloud and discuss their works in a spirit of fellowship and civil conversation. In the spirit of these Inklings, the Department of Political Science at Texas State University has held similar gatherings for more than two decades.
For more information on the series, please contact Dr. Arnold Leder atal04@txstate.edu.
