Abstract We live in a world that is morally horrific by almost anyone’s standards. In the Third World millions of people suffer from malnutrition, and due to inefficiency, stupidity, or venality many of them will literally starve to death. Even those of us fortunate enough to live in affluent countries are threatened daily with annihilation. Through madness or miscalculation, Reagan or Gorbachev could turn the entire planet into a fiery oven. The survivors would have nothing to look forward to but slow death in a nuclear winter.