COGNITIVE SUBJECTS OR OBJECTS OF MILITARY STRATEGY? THE COMPATIBILITY OF AUTONOMOUS WEAPONS WITH HUMANITARIAN LAW PRINCIPLES
Image from Pexels The law of war does not require weapons to make legal determinations… rather, it is persons who must comply with the law… [1] Introduction . French scholar Jean-Jacques Rousseau is often quoted for asserting that “war is not a personal conflict between individuals, but rather a relationship between States, where individuals become enemies only incidentally; not as human beings or even as citizens, but solely as soldiers.” [2] This statement, which virtually abstracts man from the conflict, is especially relevant in today's context. We are particularly focused on the rise of Autonomous Weapons Systems (AWS) as a significant aspect of modern warfare. To do other war novelties justice, [3] AWS are not the only novelty, be it as it may, they stand quite distinctive especially due to their complexities. [4] Without prejudice to any other understanding, we can define autonomous weapon systems as weapon systems that, once activated, can identify,...