Military Neuroscience and the Coming Age of Neurowarfare

Krishnan describes military applications of neuroscience research and emerging neurotechnology with relevance to the conduct of armed conflict and law enforcement. This work builds upon literature by scholars such as Moreno and Giordano and fills an existing gap, not only in terms of reviewing available and future neurotechnologies and relevant applications, but by discussing how the military pursuit of these technologies fits into the overall strategic context. The first to sketch future neurowarfare by looking at its potentials as well as its inherent limitations, this book’s main theme is how military neuroscience will enhance and possibly transform both classical psychological operations and cyber warfare. Its core argument is that nonlethal strategies and tactics could become central to warfare in the first half of the twenty-first century. This creates both humanitarian opportunities in making war less bloody and burdensome as well as some unprecedented threats and dangers in terms of preserving freedom of thought and will in a coming age where minds can be manipulated with great precision.

Table of Contents

1 Introduction

2 Cold War brain research and germ warfare

3 Neuroscientific enhancement

4 Intelligence and prediction

5 The degradation technologies I: Drugs and bugs

6 The degradation technologies II: Waves and bytes

7 The strategic context

8 Neurowarfare

9 Dangers and solutions

About the Author

Armin Krishnan is an Associate Professor and Director of Security Studies at East Carolina University. He specializes in emerging military technology, intelligence, and covert action. He is the author of five books on military privatization, autonomous weapons, targeted killing, neurowarfare, and paramilitary operations.