Killing in WarThe dominant view throughout history has been that mere participation in an unjust war is not wrong. Soldiers are not to blame for the unjustness of the military actions into which their leaders throw them. The principles governing what is permissible in war apply equally to any combatants.Jeff McMahan argues powerfully that this dominant view must be overturned. Combatants who fight for an unjust cause are acting wrongly and are themselves morally responsible for their own wrongdoings. If a soldier fighting for an unjust cause kills an opposing soldier, he is killing an innocent person and is morally responsible for that killing.This is a highly controversial view, which threatens to undermine the moral standing of military personnel in many contexts around the world today. McMahan shows that the view is nevertheless one which common sense can see to be demanded by our basic moral intuitions. We must rethink our attitudes to the moral role of the individual in war. |
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accept achievement agent argued argument believe bellum bomb child soldiers commanded to fight consent criminal Culpable Threat defensive action defensive attack degree duress enemy combatants epistemically justified equality of combatants example fought fully excused impermissible inflicted innocent bystander innocent civilians innocent person Innocent Threats institutions intentionally killing Jeff McMahan jus ad bellum jus in bello kill an innocent kill innocent law of war legitimate targets lesser evil liable to attack liable to defensive means Michael Walzer moral equality morally innocent morally liable morally required morally responsible Nazi Nonresponsible Threat objective account objectively justified objectively wrongful one’s Partially Excused Threats participation perhaps permitted political pose a threat presumption prevent principle proportionality requirement punishment refusal to fight relevant requirement of discrimination risk seems self-defense sense side effect Suppose symmetrical defense threaten unjust cause unjust combatants unjust war unjust wars Walzer wide proportionality wrongful harm wrongful threat