PHIL/POLI/PWAD 272.001 – The Ethics of Peace, War, and Defense

Instructor: Z Quanbeck. This course meets TR 8:00 – 9:15 a.m. via remote synchronous (RS) instruction.

General William Tecumseh Sherman famously remarked that “war is hell.” But if “war is hell,” is it ever be morally permissible (or even morally required) to initiate a war? If so, when? After a war has begun, what sorts of conduct are morally permissible? After the war is over, what does justice require of the victors, and what do societies owe to their returning veterans? In this course we will carefully consider such questions, in addition to related issues such as terrorism, torture, the prosecution of war crimes, and drone warfare.