This talk was given at a local TEDx event, produced independently of the TED Conferences. Stephen Coleman examines the threat of global terrorism and its affect on public policy. But what are the real risks of terrorism to the public? His response is surprising.

Stephen works in a diverse range of areas in applied ethics, includ­ing mil­i­tary ethics, police ethics, med­ical ethics, space ethics and the prac­ti­cal appli­ca­tions of human rights. He has pub­lished and pre­sented in var­i­ous forms in Aus­tralia, the United States, the United King­dom, New Zealand and Hong Kong. Coleman is the Director of the Ethics program for the Australian Centre for the Study of Armed Conflict and Society (ACSACS) at UNSW, Canberra, as well as a Research Fellow with the international Consortium on Emerging Technology, Military Operations and National Security (CETMONS).

Previously he has been a Res­i­dent Fel­low at the Stock­dale Cen­ter for Eth­i­cal Lead­er­ship at the United States Naval Acad­emy, where he was part of a large research project exam­in­ing the eth­i­cal impli­ca­tions of var­i­ous new and devel­op­ing mil­i­tary tech­nolo­gies. This project helped to brief the Depart­ment of Defense, the US Con­gress and the White House on these issues. He can also make bal­loon and origami ani­mals, jug­gle, breathe fire and ride a uni­cy­cle, though not all at the same time.

About TEDx, x = independently organized event In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)