war and peace

War definition

Armed conflict which takes place over a period of time which involves violence, destruction, and economic instability.

Old Testament views on war

War is moral if directed by God and rises from divine command. Strong militaristic view. (Abraham)

Militarism definition

War is a good thing which brings out good qualities in people. (War brings out courage and courage can be seen as the most important moral quality)

OT examples of support of war

Abraham in genesis= won battles and was blessed for his success.

Israelites (Abrahams descendants)= fought battles under instruction from God. He told them to attack settlers on the promise land and to kill civilians, enslave women and children. (Amoral realism)

Leaders of the Israelites= once settled their leaders were warriors and fought battles for God.

David= warrior king who was highly respected. People conquered under him and his kingdom was build no military force.

New Testament views on war

War is more about defeating evil; Jesus’ attitude can be seen as ambiguous.

People lived under roman military rule. Zealots proposed violence to drive out roman occupation.

NT examples against war

Jesus offers a life of peace and rejects call to war (“love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you”)

Jesus demonstrated ideas of absolute pacifism when he is arrested and executed (“those who draw the sword die by the sword”)

NT examples for war

Zealots used millitary force to drive out the roman occupation

Jesus instructs his followers to carry swords.

Jesus uses violence when he destroys the temple=not pacifism.

Early church attitudes to war

For the first 300 years Christianity was a persecuted faith and were tortured. Most early Christian’s renounced violence.

Christian’s still served in the roman army so not everyone saw Christianity as incompatible with the military

Constantinian shift (early church attitudes change)

Christianity became a religion of the majority and the Roman Empire still needed to be defeated. So that’s what they started to do.

Absolute pacifists weren’t happy with this change Quakers adopted christian pacifism and enlivened they were closer to the original teachings of Jesus

As a result, Augustine of Hippo created the just war theory to make Christianity more compatible with war.

Just war theory

Augustine of hippo

Augustine lived when the Roman Empire was under threat which made him consider to morality of war and if moral values could be embedded in undertaking of war.

Jus add bellum

Just causes for war

-war needs to have a just cause

-war needs to be a last resort and all other options need to be exhausted

-legitimate authority has to allow the war to start

-people need to have the right intentions for war to start

-probability of success needs to be weighed up, if success is unlikely war shouldn’t take place

Jus in bello

Just conduct in war

-discrimination, who is a legitimate target in war

-proportion, any action should be in proportion to the objective desired with minimal destruction.

-responsibility, should a nation be responsible for unforeseen damage if the intentions were good and does the good outweigh the bad

Jus post bellum

Right conduct after war

Victory shouldn’t provide a licence for imposing harsh measures.

If defeated aggressors are guilty of atrocities they should too be tried as war criminals.

Trials should be held in neutral countries with neutral parties who decide that all atrocities should be investigated despite victory/defeat.

Utilitarianism view on just war theory

Can justify war on the basis it could lead to the greater happiness for the greatest number but whose happiness? Principle of utility can justify torture.

Rule utilitarianism would disagree

Situation ethics view on just war theory

Could accept if just war came about for the sake of agape.

Natural moral law attitudes to just war theory

Wouldn’t; agree with just war because conflict in the precepts of ordered society and preservation of life.

Just war eval

-a significant number of nations use nuclear warfare and weapons of mass destruction which makes criteria redundant as they lead to indiscriminatory killing.

-moral inconsistency. Justice is about fairness, war is about winning and losing.

Christianity and pacifism

Early church believed being a Christian prohibited them from becoming a solider (“those who live by the sword die by the sword”)

They believed Jesus modeled non resistance which implies now war is ever just. (“If someone slaps you on the cheek, offer them the other cheek”)

Rejects all types of war (“Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you”)

Conscientious objectors= someone who refuses to serve in the armed forces.

Types of pacifism

-absolute=complete and universal rejection of war. Life has inerrant value and is absolute

-relative=against violence and war but accept at times its the lesser of two evils

-selective=pacifist about certain methods/actions. (Using weapons of mass destruction)

-active=argues for political engagement through campaigns to promote peace.

-nuclear=it’s morally wrong for nations to create/hold nuclear weapons. Incompatible with just war.

Pacifism eval

It’s unlikely to become a national policy as it makes countries vulnerable. It’s dependent on other nations, especially ones we may be in dispute with

Being a citizen means enjoying the benefit the state brings but also implies certain duties. Not taking part in war means to fail an important moral obligation so pacifism is at odds with citizenship.

Too idealistic in today’s world. Non violence doesn’t work in the face of todays evil.

Utilitarianism on pacifism

Against.

-alternatives to war all seem to lead to worse consequences than war itself.

-absolute pacifism might not always be right. Killing may lead to the best consequences.

Situation ethics on pacifism.

Arguments both for and against pacifism.

For=agape opposes war; not for disliking someone

For=can a solider act on agape whilst killing another solider?

Against=agape=prepared to kill so long as the motivation is selfless

Against=Fletcher linked to ww2 nuclear bombs. Lives saved by ending war by using weapons outweighed the lives destroyed by it.

Natural moral law on pacifism

Against pacifism

-5 precepts. Preserve life and war contradicts this; self defence can still be preserving life.

-war can be a necessary evil if its protecting innocent people

-promotes peace; recognises that there are occasions where war is the only way to bring about peace.