The Meaning and Justification of War

When force is necessary and appropriate

Meets for eight weeks, 7 pm – 8:30 pm

At Huzanity School, www.huzanity.org

 

 

Text Box: "Warfare is almost as old as man himself, & reaches into the most secret places of the human heart, places where self dissolves rational purpose, where pride reigns, where emotion is paramount, where instinct is king." Keegan, History of Warfare, 3. "War has had us in its thrall. It has horrified us and fascinated us....The stench of war has seeped into our souls. We have talked endlessly about peace; but in the recesses of our imagination we have brooded, often feverishly, on war. " (John Connell, quoted in Acts of War, Holmes, 5) "The art of war is of vital importance to the state. It is a matter of life and death, a road either to safety or to ruin. Hence under no circumstances can it be neglected." Sun Tzu, The Art of War "It is sometimes said that the dilemma ought to be concealed, that we should draw the veil...over the crimes that soldiers and statesmen cannot avoid. Or, we should avert our eyes--for the sake of our innocence, I suppose, and the moral certainties. But that is a dangerous business; having looked away, how will we know when to look back? Soon we will avert our eyes from everything that happens in wars and battles, condemning nothing." Walzer, Just and Unjust Wars, page 326

   Conflict is a part of daily life, and extreme acts of aggression are frequently documented in history. Unless we are prepared to confront the whole scale of human nature, we face the danger of retreating, in stunned silence, when the unimaginable makes its appearance. We cede the field to those who are ready to act without reflection.

   How should we confront violence and evil? Is war sometimes required? The purpose of this Huzanity School course is to examine the challenges of aggression: When is the use of force necessary and justified, and what is the effect on society and the responsibility of the individual?

 

Questions we will address

Is war inevitable and necessary (the ‘realist’ position)?

Is chaos and barbarism a part of human nature that we cannot evade?

Is war an ‘extension of politics’?

What is battle really like?

When is a war just and when is it unjust?

If we must fight, must we have ‘enemies’?

What is ‘collateral damage’? Is it acceptable? Is it ever just to attack civilians?

What’s the ‘warrior ethic’? The ‘peace ethic’?

What is the responsibility of the soldier? And of the citizen to the military?

How do you respond to extreme aggression and evil?

 

Class meetings

Introduction

Class 2  'Realism.' The dark side of human nature.

Class 3  The experience of war and the effect on the soldier.

Class 4  Entering into war. Aggression. (Just war theory.)

Class 5  Conduct in war. Soldiers’ responsibility and civilians’ rights. (Just war theory.)

Class 6  International laws of war.

Class 7  The American military.