Ideas of Michael Walzer, by Theme
[American, b.1935, At Harvard, and then the Institute of Advance Studies at Princeton.]
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20. Action / C. Motives for Action / 4. Responsibility for Actions
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23590
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Criminal responsibility can be fully assigned to each member of a group
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20. Action / C. Motives for Action / 5. Action Dilemmas / b. Double Effect
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23578
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Double Effect needs a double intention - to achieve the good, and minimise the evil
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22. Metaethics / A. Ethics Foundations / 1. Nature of Ethics / d. Ethical theory
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23564
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Deep ethical theory is very controversial, but we have to live with higher ethical practice
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24. Political Theory / A. Basis of a State / 4. Original Position / b. Veil of ignorance
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20595
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You can't distribute goods from behind a veil, because their social meaning is unclear [Tuckness/Wolf]
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25. Social Practice / B. Equalities / 2. Political equality
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20592
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Complex equality restricts equalities from spilling over, like money influencing politics and law [Tuckness/Wolf]
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25. Social Practice / B. Equalities / 4. Economic equality
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20549
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Equality is complex, with different spheres of equality where different principles apply [Swift]
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25. Social Practice / C. Rights / 1. Basis of Rights
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23568
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If whole states possess rights, there can be social relations between states
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25. Social Practice / E. Policies / 1. War / a. Just wars
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23587
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Nuclear bombs are not for normal war; they undermine the 'just war', with a new morality
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23567
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Even non-violent intrusive acts between states count as aggression, if they justify resistance
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23570
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The only good reason for fighting is in defence of rights
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23571
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States can rightly pre-empt real and serious threats
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23572
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Just wars are self-defence, or a rightful intercession in another's troubles
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23581
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The aim of reprisals is to enforce the rules of war
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23582
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Reprisal is defensible, as an alternative to war
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23588
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With nuclear weapons we have a permanent supreme emergency (which is unstable)
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23580
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States need not endure attacks passively, and successful reprisals are legitimate
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25. Social Practice / E. Policies / 1. War / b. Justice in war
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23593
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Jus ad bellum and Jus in bello are independent; unjust wars can be fought in a just way
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23577
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Napoleon said 'I don't care about the deaths of a million men'
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23573
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For moral reasons, a just war must be a limited war
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25. Social Practice / E. Policies / 1. War / c. Combatants
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23589
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Kidnapped sailors and volunteers have different obligations to the passengers
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23574
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The duties and moral status of loyal and obedient soldiers is the same in defence and aggression
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23575
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We can't blame soldiers for anything they do which clearly promotes victory
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23584
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Rejecting Combatant Equality allows just soldiers to be harsher, even to the extreme
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23614
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Even aggressor soldiers are not criminals, so they have equal rights with their opponents
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25. Social Practice / E. Policies / 1. War / d. Non-combatants
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23579
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Soldiers will only protect civilians if they feel safe from them
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23586
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What matters in war is unacceptable targets, not unacceptable weapons
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23591
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If the oppressor is cruel, nonviolence is either surrender, or a mere gesture
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25. Social Practice / E. Policies / 1. War / e. Peace
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23592
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We can only lead war towards peace if we firmly enforce the rules of war
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