Philosophy of Oppenheimer

Explore the philosophical insights of J. Robert Oppenheimer, focusing on his study of the Bhagavad Gita and the concept of consequences. Delve into the differences between external and internal consequences, and how they shaped Oppenheimer’s views on his role in creating the atomic bomb. Understand the interplay of karma and dharma in both personal and global contexts.

Philosophy of Oppenheimer

1. Oppenheimer studied the Bhagavad Gita.
2. People mainly live in a cause and effect world.

What are Consequences?

• Consequences are of two natures:
  1. External Consequences:
     • When your actions impact the external world. (Eg. Arjun asks Krishna how he can fight his own siblings.)
  2. Internal Consequences:
     • When you do something and consider its effect on yourself.

1) EXTERNAL CONSEQUENCES

• Oppenheimer’s creation led to the destruction of Japan.
• Oppenheimer’s creation led to the end of WWII.
• Oppenheimer’s creation started the nuclear race (every country wanted nuclear bombs).
• Oppenheimer’s creation started the Cold War between America and Russia.
• Oppenheimer’s creation led to the Bay of Pigs and Cuba.

• Oppenheimer’s creation led to the Vietnam War.

• The further you go into the future, the more unrelated the consequences are. For example, the Vietnam War is a consequence of Oppenheimer’s nuclear creation.

  You can trace consequences historically but not prospectively.

• This is known as the Order of Consequences.

• As a result, every particular action has an ‘n’ number of consequences that cannot be predicted.

Problem of Consequences in External Reality

• Too many actions are happening simultaneously:
  • Every action has many degrees.
  • Additionally, many actions are occurring in parallel.
• Hence, reality is largely unpredictable externally (Eg. predicting the future, weather, results).
• Similar to what Krishna said to Arjun: “Arjun, you should focus on karma rather than results. I (Krishna) am controlling the external reality of consequences.”

2) INTERNAL REALITY

• In Hinduism, this is referred to as “Karma.”
• Hindu belief: “You will get the consequences of your karma.”
• It does not mean that God is making a list of your karma.

Understanding Karma

• “Karma” refers to repeating your behavioral patterns until you get what you deserve.

Problems with Consequences in Internal Reality

• Repetition
• Recursion

Understanding Dharma

• “Dharma” is acting in a way that stops the duality of recursion.
• In simple terms: “Dharma is the state when your ‘seer’ and ‘doer’ are the same.”

Conclusion

• Oppenheimer created the nuclear bomb for mainly two reasons:
  1. He might have followed the INTERNAL REALITY philosophy, thinking, “I shouldn’t regret not making it or making the decision.”
  2. Or, he might have followed the EXTERNAL REALITY philosophy, believing, “If I don’t make it, someone else will; if it’s not made this year, it will be made later.”

Conclusion

Oppenheimer’s creation of the atomic bomb reflects his engagement with both external and internal consequences. His decisions, driven by the interplay of historical impact and personal philosophy, underscore the complex nature of consequence management. Whether guided by an external outlook on inevitability or an internal focus on personal responsibility, Oppenheimer’s actions reveal the profound and often unpredictable effects of human choices on both global and individual scales.

References

The Philosophy of Karma, Dharma & Oppenheimer