The Existentialistic Premise of the Thermonuclear Dilemma

This essay explores the thermonuclear dilemma in a timeless and universal philosophical context – a purely epistemological plain. Drawing upon ideas from Rousseau, classical realists such as Morgenthau and Niebuhr, and contemporary thinkers such as Bent Flyvbjerg, this essay first explores the theoretical possibilities of a world state; secondly, it explores the possibilities for transformation and mechanisms of change; and thirdly, it reflects upon some philosophical concerns with regard to contemporary opportunities and imminent difficulties. Ultimately, the essay argues that the thermonuclear dilemma is the existential premise for international politics and should therefore be at the forefront of any theorizing of international politics.