Just War Theory

Jus ad bellum - is it right to go to war?

Jus in Bello - how is it to be fought?

Jus post bellum - agreements after the war

All Criminals In Prison Lose Rights Completely

Authority - War has to be authorised by a just Authority - Head of country or state government Cause - A Just cause for going to war (Why is war being considered?) Augustine said 'A just war is wont to be described as one that avenges wrongs, when a nation or state has to be punished for refusing to make amends for wrongs inflicted by its subjects, or to restore what have been seized unjustly' Intention - Just intention (Looking to the desired outcome of war) - Included to prevent rulers declaring war to destroy a country for a totally unrealistic causeProportionality - Proportionality between the injustice that lead to considering war and the possible response - important in order to not cause unnecessary force (nuclear weaponry, biological warfare)Last Resort - War must be a last resort, all alternative ways of reaching a resolution must be taken first - peace is always preferable.Reasonable Chance of Success - To avoid certain destruction though futile resistance - with no chance of winning there is pointless destruction and pain causedComparative Justice - The claims of both sides must be addressed equally  - it is believed to encourage human equality and respect

Jus ad bellum

Jus in bello

Proportionality - Only the minimum necessary destructive force aimed at restoring peace should be usedDiscrimination - over targets - which should be selective and military

Aristotle believed war was justified in self-defence

The Old Testament writings show that Jews believed God commanded them to fight their enemies.Stories also indicate it was acceptable to massacre non-combatants - Deuteronmy 3:24 records the total annihilation of King Sigons subjects. 'We left no survivors'

However Jesus's teachings took a dramatic change. He preached to not warm those who have wronged you and the early Church adopted this pacifist approach to warfare until Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire. Therefore the Church was required to change its response to warfare to meet political needs. Augustine was instrumental in this departure, and Aquinas further developed his ideas. The Just War Theory continues eveloving into the 20th Century. Today much of the theory is incorporated in the United Nations Charter and the Geneva Convention.

The belief that war is wrong because violence is no the right solution to a dispute

Some pacifists are absolute in their views against violence - not believing in it even in self defence. Including opposing weapons manufacture ect

Most will not undertake military service and are usually referred to conscientious objectors. During the Second World War pacifits often undertook non-combatant duties: working as stretcher barers or other medical work saving life, not harming it.

Other Pacifists take a contingent attitude, believing it is wrong but are prepared to accept that in some situations war may be the lesser of two evils.

Christian Pacifism

Quakers are the only major Christian denomination wholly committed to pacifism. Their argument is that a violent response to a situation solves nothing and escalates the dispute. Quakers have been conscientious objectors in times of war and in times of peace are involved with the United Nations to work towards international conflict resolution. Jesus rejected violence and preached against it in there Sermon on the Mount and taught love and to resist violence. Due to this many Christian's are pacifists but it is not the traditional Christian response to war as Christian's accept that war is acceptable when confroting evil.

Ethical Pacifism

Human life is all the more valuable if you do not believe in an afterlife and humanists (indeed any rational person) would think very carefully before supporting any war, because of the loss of life involved. Wars are hugely destructive, ruining lives, wasting resources, and degrading the environment British Humanist Association

For-Absolutist pacisism is easy to apply-It respects the sanctity of life-(Christian) It closely follows Jesus' teachings

Against-It can allow evil to flourish-it offers no protection to the innocent-It removes the right of self-defence-Pacifism seems powerless against modern weapons of mass destruction and mass genocide.

Kantism Deontolgical - the motivation for the actionIt is difficult to universalise a maxim to allow killing in war - as it goes against the law of nature.Possible to universalise the right to self-defence when threatened by violence

Just War Theory

War

Pacifism

Ethical Solutions