Philosophy 2083F/G Chapter : Killing in War, McMahan

• School: Western University
• Department: Philosophy
• Course: Philosophy 2083F/G
• Professor: Frank Cameron

Document Summary

The ethics of killing in war jeff mcmahan. This paper argues that certain central tenets of the traditional theory of the just war cannot be correct advances an alternative account grounded in the same considerations of justice that govern self defense at the individual level. So the moral position of unjust combatants is indistinguishable from that of just combatants. Both just and unjust combatants have an equal right to kill. Combatants are permitted to kill only opposing combatants. According to the traditional theory, we are all initially morally immune to attack. In the context of war, the innocent are those who do not contribute to the prosecution of the war. Just combatants are also permitted for the same reason, to attack the unjust combatants who threaten them. But if your attacker has no right of self-defense, then not all defensive force is permissible. Walzer believes that there is no right to self defense in the course of criminal activity.