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What is 'war'? And what is the aim of war?
- 'Armed hostilities between peoples', usually between different nations or groups.
- To inflict as much damage to the opponent as possible, while receiving as little to yourself as possible
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How has war changed? Give some figures.
- War was previously fought on the battlefield with an army consisting of the country's population. Few casualties were civilian.
- E.G WW1 5% were civilian
- War is now fought with small troops in the army using high tech weapons.
- Civilian casualties have increased
- WW2: 60%
- Wars Today: 80%
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Why did the Just war theory develop?
- Tension between the old and new testaments
- Developed in Christian circles, but not exclusively
- There are times when fighting is necessary, so it offers guidelines
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What is the Early Background of the Just War Theory?
- Early Church followed Jesus literally - total pacifists
- Christianity official religion of Roman Empire but their refusal to fight caused them to be losing a war
- Church began to accept war in certain circumstances.
- Augustine (Roman Emperor) put forward two conditions under which was was allowed.
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What were Augustine's two conditions allowing war?
- Legitimate Authority
- Just Cause
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What did the Old Testament say in Deuteronomy 1:30?
God will fight - "The lord your God, who is going before you, will fight for you, as he did in Egypt, before your very eyes."
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What did the New Testament say in Matthew 5:9?
Those who make peace are blessed by God - "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God."
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What is the Latin term for the conditions allowing war?
Jus ad bellum
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What is the Latin term for conduct in war?
Jus in bello
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What are the conditions allowing war?
- Just cause
- Just intention
- Last Resort
- Declared by competent authority
- Comparison of Justice on both sides
- Reasonable likelihood of success
- Proportionality
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What are the terms of conduct in war?
- Proportionality - weapons proportional to threat
- Reasonable proportion between injustice fought and the suffering caused
- Warfare must discriminate - Geneva Convention
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What are the four types of Pacifism?
- Absolute - never right to take part in war/killing human beings
- Relative - war may be the lesser of two evils
- Nuclear/Selective - Opposition to weapons of mass destruction
- Active - Engaged in political activity/campaigns to promote peace
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Name and Quote a Pacifist Scholar
Bertrand Russell "Patriots always talk of dying for their country, but never talk of killing for their country."
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Why was Jesus an example of a Pacifist?
- He rejected the use of physical force, even in defence of himself.
- "Those who live by the sword die by the sword."
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Three Pairs of Pros and Cons of the Just War theory?
- For Has the potential to save lots of lives
- Against Who is it okay to target. Perhaps everyone that pays taxes isn't a civilian.
- For Will help to stop unjust wars from happening, war is regulated and MUST be a last resort
- Against Allows war meaning they are more likely to happen
- For Ensures suffering and damage are kept to a minimum
- Against Unrealistic to expect people to consider their actions in a life/death situation
- (For: Allows for just intervention, preventing unjust wars.
- Against: Unrealistic since people/countries are selfish and take part in was based on their realism of strength, not an ethical theory)
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