A few questions to physicist Carlo Rovelli about peace, disarmament, and the role of science
Worked in Italy and the USA. Now he teaches in France, at the University of Aix-Marseille. His main scientific activity is related to the theory of loop quantum gravity. He also worked with the history and philosophy of science.
Rovelli has written several books, including “Seven Short Lessons in Physics,” which became an international bestseller.
Professor, is global disarmament a utopia?
The abolition of slavery, the right to vote for women, universal education and health care for all were also utopias.
Where do you think the reconstruction should start from?
From a way out of the prevailing logic, according to which relations between nations are conceived in terms of competition, domination, confrontation, containment, collision, rather than cooperation, exchange, and mutual advantages. Collaboration is beneficial for everyone. From confrontation, we have only losses, limitations, and we end up in ruin for everyone.
We need to get out of the logic of confrontation between peoples and replace it with cooperation
The USA and Russia, at the worst moment of the Cold War, entered into a pact on nuclear energy, guided by physicists on both sides. Could today’s day become a recurring event?
It would be great, but I don’t think that’s happening.
Do we need more cooperation between scientists from different countries?
Science is already working, giving priority to cooperation. While the governments are fighting, relations between the scientists of the conflicting countries remain friendly. This is not news of today. For example, when Europe was torn apart by the Thirty Years’ War, intellectuals from all over the continent could easily talk to each other.
Do you think the scientific community is doing enough to try to prevent a nuclear apocalypse?
No, I do not think so. This doesn’t give much, except for some appeals that are certainly good but remain unheeded. I believe that the risk of a nuclear disaster is very close, and I do not believe in Western rulers and their ability to be reasonable.
Why are all countries still trying to sell and buy weapons?
The US elites believe that this way they will be able to maintain their current dominance over the world. The US government openly writes about this in its documents, and politicians say it in their public speeches. This is what Biden calls a “US-led world order,” that is, a world order directed by the United States. Other Western countries, such as Italy, do so under American pressure, because they believe it is in their interest to remain under the rule of the most powerful master. The rest of the world often does this to counter American military pressure. A notable example is North Korea, which has developed a dangerous nuclear program as a last resort of deterrence to protect itself: American nuclear submarines are near its coasts, and regular American military exercises are within sight of its borders. The ruler who agreed to abandon the development of the nuclear program in exchange for guarantees from the West was Qaddafi. We saw how he and his country ended.
Unfortunately, however, I fear that the powerful driver fueling the current arms race is not even a strategic geopolitical choice, however unwise, but rather the fact that the arms market is incredibly profitable and fuels politics, creating a vicious circle. In the United States, for example, Congress receives an annual request for military funding from the government and almost always decides on military spending that even exceeds what is requested. The entire American military industry has a huge influence on these decisions. In Italy, our current Minister of Defense is the President of the Military Industrial Association. Instead of dealing with the future of mankind and catastrophic risks, everyone is short-sighted and pursues their own interests. We are like on a ship sailing towards a rock and where the sailors, instead of watching where the ship is going, fight among themselves over a piece of rope.
Instead of dealing with the future of mankind and catastrophic risks, everyone is short-sighted and pursues their own interests.
Are you sure that politicians, first of all, can take steps to move towards global peace and disarmament?
So many voices are asking for it. In many non-Western countries, in the United Nations, from great religious leaders such as the Pope and the Dalai Lama, to many intellectuals who are trying to look far ahead. At the moment I don’t see any foresight in Italian and Western politicians. I also see in most media a blatant enslavement to the shortsightedness of politics. I hope reason will prevail, but for now the signs are negative. Not only are military spendings spiraling, but above all, militancy and mutual demonization between the West and the rest of the world is growing dangerously. I fear that we are dangerously approaching the end of centuries of colonialism, and in the worst possible way. Instead of building a well-articulated and communicative international community, the West has become concerned with defending an area it can no longer hold.