War: What is it good for

1
War What is it good for?

• By Jacqueline Taylor, Cameron Walsh, Zoe Feld,
  John Galante, Mia Pallari

2
Four Moral Questions

• How do we determine what justifies going to war?
• How do we interpret the Commandment Thou Shall
  Not Murder?
• How do we decide which people are exempt to go to
  war?
• What is appropriate behavior in war?

3
War is

• An actual intentional and widespread armed
  conflict between political communities.
  (http//plato.standford.edu/entries/war)

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Three Approaches to War

• Militarism- war is necessary
• Pacifism- anti-war, avoiding violence in all
  circumstances
• Just War Theory- under certain circumstances, war
  is unavoidable

5
Militarism

• A government that has a strong military and is
  prepared to use it aggressively
• Primary goal is to get an ever-stronger military
  at the expense of liberties, etc.

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Militarism cont.

• Examples
• Radical
• North Korea
• Moderate
• America

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Pacifism The sword of passive resistance does
not require a scabbard. -Gandhi

• Anti-war
• Non violence
• There is always another solution rather than
  violence

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Pacifism cont.

• Examples
• Jesus
• Gandhi
• Quakers
• Hippies in the 60s

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Just War Theory

• The most complicated of the three views.
• War is OK under certain circumstances
• Involves religious and ethical ideas
• Has rules for going to war (jus ad bellum)
• Has rules when in war (jus in bello)

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Jus ad Bellum

• Just cause
• Right intention
• Proper authority and public declaration
• Last resort
• Probability of success
• Proportionality

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Jus in Bello

• Obey all international laws on weapons
  prohibition
• Discrimination and non-combatant immunity
• Proportionality
• Benevolent quarantine for POW
• No methods that are evil in themselves (mala in
  se)
• No reprisals

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Augustine (354-430)

• Rulers of nations have the obligation to
  maintain peace. This obligation gives them the
  right to wage war (www.monksofadoration.org/justw
  ar.html)
• Is called the originator of the Just War Theory
  

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Aquinas (1225-1274)

• He helped to shape the Just War Theory
• Believed there were three necessary conditions
  for a just war
• -Authorized Authority
• -Just Cause
• -Rightful Intention

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The Four Moral Questions Again

• How do we determine what justifies going to war?
  
• How do we interpret the Commandment Thou Shall
  Not Murder?
• How do we decide which people are exempt to go to
  war?
• What is appropriate behavior in war?

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Bibliography

• Raymond, John. "The Just War Theory." 3 Oct 2006
  ltwww.monksofadoration.org/justwar.htmlgt.
• Orend, Brian. "War." Stanford Encyclopedia of
  Phylosophy. 7/28/05. 2 Oct 2006
  lthttp//plato.stanford.edu/entries/war/gt.
• "Militarism." MSN Encarta. 6 Oct 2006
  lthttp//encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761585671/Mil
  itarism.htmlgt.
• Dalton, Dennis. "Gandhi's Words." 6/18/96. 6 Oct
  2006 lthttp//www.fiu.edu/fcf/Gandhi.quotes.htmlgt.
  
• Moseley, Alexander. "Just War Theory." The
  Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. 2006. 4 Oct
  2006 lthttp//www.utm.edu/research/iep/j/justwar.ht
  mgt.
• Mcinerney, Ralph. "Saint Thomas Aquinas." Jan 9,
  2005. 5 Oct 2006 lthttp//plato.stanford.edu/entrie
  s/aquinas/gt.
• Mendelson, Michael. "Saint Augustine." Mon Oct 2,
  2000. 4 Oct 2006 lthttp//plato.stanford.edu/entrie
  s/augustine/gt.