War by Agreement: A Contractarian Ethics of War"War by Agreement presents a new theory on the ethics of war. It shows that wars can be morally justified at both the ad bellum level (the political decision to go to war) and the in bello level (its actual conduct by the military) by accepting a contractarian account of the rules governing war. According to this account, the rules of war are anchored in a mutually beneficial and fair agreement between the relevant players-- the purpose of which is to promote peace and to reduce the horrors of war. The book relies on the long social contract tradition and illustrates its fruitfulness in understanding and developing the morality and the law of war"-- |
Contents
The Moral Standing of the War Agreement | 1 |
The Challenge | 9 |
Foundations of a NonIndividualist Morality | 37 |
A Contractarian Account of the Crime of Aggression | 71 |
The Aims of Just Wars and Jus Ex Bello | 98 |
Contractarianism and the Moral Equality of Combatants | 116 |
Contractarianism and the Moral Equality of Civilians | 133 |
When the Agreement Collapses | 163 |
Concluding Remarks | 181 |
201 | |
211 | |
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Common terms and phrases
accepted according actually aggression agree agreement allowed apply argued argument armies arrangement assume attack authority believe bello bellum benefit better cause chapter circumstances citizens Civilian Immunity civilians claim collateral combatants commitment consider contract contractarian convention decent defensive define deter determine distribution duty effective enemy enforce equality Ethics expected fact fair fight follow force governed harm Hence human independence individuals innocent institutions interests involved justice justified killing legitimate McMahan means military minimally moral moral rights mutually beneficial namely nature normative Note obedience objects obligation offers Oxford participate parties permission Philosophy political positive practice pre-contractual prevent principle prohibition proportionality protection question reason regarding regime relations relevant respect responsibility revisionists role rules seems sense side social social rules society soldiers symmetrical theory threat traditional undertake University Press unjust usually victory violation wars