Ideas from 'Killing in War' by Jeff McMahan [2009], by Theme Structure
[found in 'Killing in War' by McMahan,Jeff [OUP 2009,978-0-19-960357]].
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20. Action / C. Motives for Action / 4. Responsibility for Actions
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23616
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Legal excuses are duress, ignorance, and diminished responsibility
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25. Social Practice / C. Rights / 1. Basis of Rights
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23606
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Liberty Rights are permissions, and Claim Rights are freedom from intervention
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25. Social Practice / E. Policies / 1. War / a. Just wars
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23594
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Wars can be unjust, despite a just cause, if they are unnecessary or excessive or of mixed cause
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23620
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A person or state may be attacked if they are responsible for an unjustified threat
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23595
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The worst unjustified wars have no aim at all
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23597
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Just war theory says all and only persons posing a threat are liable to attack
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23598
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You (e.g. a police officer) are not liable to attack just because you pose a threat
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23619
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A defensive war is unjust, if it is responding to a just war
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25. Social Practice / E. Policies / 1. War / b. Justice in war
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23600
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Proportionality in fighting can't be judged independently of the justice of each side
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23603
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Can an army start an unjust war, and then fight justly to defend their own civilians?
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23611
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Soldiers cannot freely fight in unjust wars, just because they behave well when fighting
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23612
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The law of war differs from criminal law; attacking just combatants is immoral, but legal
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23617
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If the unjust combatants are morally excused they are innocent, so how can they be killed?
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25. Social Practice / E. Policies / 1. War / c. Combatants
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23596
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If all combatants are seen as morally equal, that facilitates starting unjust wars
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23599
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You don't become a legitimate target, just because you violently resist an unjust attack
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23604
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Volunteer soldiers accept the risk of attack, but they don't agree to it, or to their deaths
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23605
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Soldiers cannot know enough facts to evaluate the justice of their war
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23608
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If being part of a big collective relieves soldiers of moral responsibility, why not the leaders too?
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23610
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If soldiers can't refuse to fight in unjust wars, can they choose to fight in just wars?
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23613
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Equality is both sides have permission, or both sides are justified, or one justified the other permitted
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23615
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Fighting unjustly under duress does not justify it, or permit it, but it may excuse it
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25. Social Practice / E. Policies / 1. War / d. Non-combatants
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23602
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Innocence implies not being morally responsible, rather than merely being guiltless
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25. Social Practice / E. Policies / 1. War / e. Peace
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23618
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Unconditional surrender can't be demanded, since evil losers still have legitimate conditions
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