PHIL 2429 Chapter Notes - Chapter 4: Preemptive War, Preventive War, Humanitarian Intervention

• School: University of Iowa
• Department: Philosophy
• Course: PHIL 2429
• Professor: Davidovic Jovana

Document Summary

Most just war theorists deem preemptive war permissible and preventive war impermissible. Aggression an act that either violates or threatens to violate sovereignty: states can respond to aggression even if they"(cid:396)e responding to threat, not actual attack, wars wagged in response to imminent threats are pre-emptive wars. Halting at the early stages is preventive but at the final stages of development are preemptive. Daniel webster, former us secretary of state defined right of preemption only when the need is instant, overwhelming, leaving no choice of means, and no moment for deliberation. Most just (cid:449)as theo(cid:396)ists say p(cid:396)ee(cid:373)pti(cid:448)e (cid:449)a(cid:396) is pe(cid:396)(cid:373)issi(cid:271)le si(cid:374)(cid:272)e it"s a fo(cid:396)(cid:373) of defense but preventive war is not. Rodin the imminence condition is the application of the necessity requirement subject to epistemic limitations. We cannot know with certain degree of certainty that a defensive act is necessary until the infliction of harm is imminent.