Lethal autonomous weapons are weapon systems that can select and destroy targets without intervention by a human operator. Fighting Machines explores the relationship between lethal autonomous weapons (LAWS), the concept of human dignity, and international law. Much of this analysis speaks to three fundamental and related problems: When a LAWS takes a human life, is that killing a violation of human dignity? Can states and non-state actors use LAWS in accordance with international law? And are there certain responsibilities of human decision-making during wartime that we should not delegate to machines? In the book, Dan Saxon argues that the use of LAWS to take human life constitutes a violation of human dignity. Rather than concentrating on the victims of the use of lethal force, Saxon instead focuses on the technology and relevant legal principles and rules to advance several propositions. First, as LAWS operate at increasingly greater speeds, their use will undermine the opportunities for, and the value of, human reasoning and judgment. Second, by transferring responsibility for reasoning and judgment about the use of lethal force to computer software, the use of LAWS violates the dignity of the soldiers, commanders, and law enforcement officers who historically have made such decisions, and, therefore, breaches international law. Third, weapon designs that facilitate teamwork between humans and autonomous systems are necessary to ensure that humans and LAWS can operate interdependently so that individuals can fulfil their obligations under international law—including the preservation of their own dignity—and ensure that human reasoning and judgment are available for cognitive functions better suited to humans than machines. Fighting Machines speaks to the fields of international humanitarian law, human rights, criminal law, and legal philosophy. It will also be of interest to non-lawyers, especially military officers, government policy makers, political scientists, and international relations scholars, as well as roboticists and ethicists.

"Dan Saxon has written a compelling and provocative book about the checkered history of United States involvement in Guatemala and the politics of human rights activism. Read this book and you will understand why the way in which we respond to human rights crimes often says more about our humanity than the abuses themselves."--Eric Stover, author of "The Witnesses: War Crimes and the Promise of Justice in The Hague"
"Dan Saxon's moving portrait of human courage and political interest illuminates the personal struggle of one woman against the broad sweep of Latin American history. It is rare in my experience for one book to offer both page-turning suspense and penetrating analysis of human rights policy. "To Save Her Life" carries it off brilliantly."--Jim Goldston, The Open Society Justice Initiative, The Open Society Institute
"The massive intrusion of the United States in the government of Guatemala begun in 1954 is the basis for this fascinating story about a woman, Maritza. She was eventually able to emerge from captivity after torture and many humiliations. The author, intimately acquainted with life in Guatemala, tells the story of this woman and her family with humor, excitement and captivating details about the history of Guatemala. For anyone involved in the tragic history of Central America and the evolution of liberation theology, this readable book will be helpful and even indispensable."--Robert F. Drinan, S.J., Professor, Georgetown University Law Center
"Human rights is a complicated business, and Dan Saxon's book explores many of our complexities in microcosm. Through the story of the campaign to save Maritza's life, Saxon illuminates the muddled U.S. policyin Central America at the end of the cold war; the inter-institutional rivalries and misunderstandings among organizations in the U.S. and Guatemala; and above all, the human caring that motivated so many human rights activists in the 1980s and 1990s. This is a magnificent work of history and humanity."--Patrick Ball, The Benetech Initiative