PHI 221 Lecture Notes - Lecture 17: Just War Theory, Humanitarian Intervention
17 Nov 2017
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Chapter seventeen: political violence: war, terrorism, and torture. Violence (against people): the physical or psychological attack on, or the vigorous abuse of, persons, causing their suffering, injury, or death. Violence is, prima facie, wrong that is, wrong unless there are good reasons for thinking it morally permissible. Violence is thought to be wrong because: It runs afoul of the moral principles of justice, freedom, and utility (human welfare). It makes society worse off than if no violence were present. War is a form of political violence because its essence is violent conflict between political communities, usually for the purpose of deciding who gets to effect political changes. Realism (applied to warfare) the view that moral standards are not applicable to war, and that instead it must be judged on how well it serves state interests. Pacifism the view that war is never morally permissible. Just war theory the doctrine that war may be morally permissible under stipulated conditions.
