Weapons Technology: Protect or Destroy?
Conducting a panel discussion

Students cannot fail to recognize how much weapons technology has advanced since the days of the cannon. Many historians, environmentalists and scientists have noted that humankind has become so creative with its power to destroy that we have placed the planet itself in jeopardy. Others maintain that the threat of using these powerful weapons is what prevents large scale wars or that precision weapons can limit damage. To bring out concrete issues, have students assume the roles of various experts in different fields and conduct the exercise like a panel discussion. After hearing the panel of “experts” debate, have students write essays on this issue, incorporating as much factual information into their arguments as possible. Be sure the panel examines the issue from a variety of perspectives including economic, political, psychological or sociological, ecological and military. From these different perspectives, what impacts have advances in weapons technology had?