PHIL/POLI/PWAD 272.002 – The Ethics of Peace, War, and Defense

Instructor: Pavel Nitchovski. This course meets MTWRF 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. in PE 216.

When, if ever, is going to war morally justified? Can it ever be morally required to go to war? What actions are allowed/forbidden in battle? How can such rules be morally grounded? What makes someone a noncombatant? Is all fair war?

In this course we will examine and analyze some of the ethical questions surrounding the engagement and waging of warfare. We will do so by studying the philosophical traditions that have shaped our attitudes on war. This will involve engaging with philosophical theories that are explicitly concerned with war (realpolitik, just war theory, and pacifism) as well examining the more informal forces that shape how we think of the way we lead warfare.