The 61th Essay: Oppenheimer (2023, USA)
Updated: Aug 29
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The 2023 film Oppenheimer portrays the triumphs and anguish of physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, who led the Manhattan Project during World War II and became known as the “father of the atomic bomb.” After successfully developing the bomb, Oppenheimer was horrified by its overwhelming destructive power and by the devastation of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. After the war, he opposed the development of the hydrogen bomb. He was subsequently subjected to political persecution and removed from government service.
The film raises questions that go beyond scientific and technological progress itself. When scientists acquire the power to destroy humanity, to what extent should they be held responsible for the consequences of their achievements? Drawing on the figure of Prometheus from Aesop’s fables, the film invites us to reflect on science and ethics, nuclear weapons, and the future of humanity.
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