Department of Philosophy Phone: Philosophy 118/ War and Morality

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1 1 Professor Marion Smiley Office: 330 Rabb Department of Philosophy Phone: Brandeis University Spring 2010 Philosophy 118/ War and Morality This course explores a variety of moral questions associated with both war in general and particular kinds of warfare. How, if at all, does war differ from murder? Under what conditions can a particular war be justified? Where do we draw the line between defensive and offensive actions? Can a just war be restricted morally with respect to its tactics? Is torture ever justified? What is the moral status of innocents in arguments about the justifiability of particular modes of warfare? What, if anything, is special about terrorism? How according to what principles can we ascribe responsibility for harm in wartime? Does collective responsibility for war crimes make sense? Is pacifism a coherent doctrine? a justifiable practice? While the readings in the course frequently make use of historical examples, they are squarely in the fields of ethics and political philosophy. So, too, is the course itself. Course Requirements: Two papers (7-8 pages) and a final exam. Class attendance is mandatory. Participation in class discussions is highly valued. The following required books can be purchased as the Brandeis University Bookstore: Michael Walzer, Just and Unjust Wars. War and Moral Responsibility, eds, M. Cohen, T. Nagel and T. Scanlon. Rethinking the Just War Tradition, eds, M. Brough, J. Lango, and H. van der Linden. The Morality of War, eds, L. May, E. Rovie, and S. Viner. The remaining articles for the course, i.e., those not found in the above volumes, are in a coursepack (CP) to be purchased in class. Note: If you are a student with a disability on record at Brandeis and would like to be accommodated in the class, please contact me early in the semester. Course Readings

2 2 Note: The course follows the readings closely. So please read the following selections by the dates cited. Jan. 20: Introduction Jan. 25: War, Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (CP). Richard Wasserstrom, On the Morality of War: A Preliminary Inquiry (CP). Jan. 27: Michael Walzer, Chapter 2/ The Crimes of War, in Just and Unjust Wars. Michael Walzer, WWII: Why Was This War Different? (CP). Feb. 1: Michael Walzer, Self-Defense, in The Morality of War, eds. May, Rovie and Viner, pp (Note: If you have a different edition, the pages might be slightly different from those cited here.) David Rodin, War and Self-Defense in The Morality of War, pp David Lubin, Just War and Human Rights in The Morality of War, pp Paul Woodruff, Justification or Excuse: Saving Soldiers at the Expense of Civilians in The Morality of War, pp Feb. 3: Michael Walzer, Chapter 5/ Anticipations in Just and Unjust Wars. Neta Crawford, The Justice of Preemption and Preventive War Doctrine (CP). Feb. 8: Jeff McMahan, Chapter 9: Preventative War and the Killing of the Innocent (CP). Jordy Rocheleau, Preventative War and Lawful Constraints on the Use of Force: An Argument Against International Vigilantism (CP).

3 3 Feb. 10: P. Laberge, Humanitarian Intervention: Three Ethical Positions (CP). Michael Walzer, Chapter 6/Interventions in Just and Unjust Wars.(CP). Feb. 13: Richard Norman, War, Humanitarian Intervention and Human Rights (CP). David Lubin, The Romance of the Nation State in The Morality of War, eds, May, Rovie and Viner, pp Feb. 22: Fernando Teson, The Liberal Case for Humanitarian Interventions in The Morality of War, pp Burleigh Wilkins, Humanitarian Interventions: Some Doubts in The Morality of War, pp March 1: Catherine Lu, Whose Principles? Whose Institutions? Legitimacy Challenges for Humanitarian Intervention (CP). March 8: Virginia Held, Legitimate Authority in Non-State Groups Using Violence (CP). Michael Walzer, Chapter 11/Guerrilla War in Just and Unjust Wars. March 10: Michael Walzer, Chapter 8/ War s Means and Chapter 9/Noncombatant Immunity and Military Necessity in Just and Unjust Wars. March 12: FIRST PAPERS DUE. (This is a Friday. Please put your papers in the Phil. 118 Box in the Philosophy Department Office.) March 15: Joseph Boyle, Toward Understanding the Principle of Double Effect in The Morality of War, pp Warren Quinn, Actions, Intentions, and Consequences: The Doctrine of Double Effect in The Morality of War, pp Jonathan Bennett, Morality and Consequences in The Morality of War, pp March 17:.Thomas Nagel, War and Massacre in War and Moral Responsibility, eds,

4 4 Cohen, Nagel, and Scanlon, pp March 17: Richard Brandt, Utilitarianism and Rules of War in War and Moral Responsibility, pp March 22: Frederck Kaufman, Just War Theory and Killing the Innocent in Rethinking the Just War Tradition, eds Brough, Lango, and van der Linden, pp Reuben Brigety and Rachel Stohl, Just War Theory and Child Soldiers in Rethinking the Just War Tradition, pp March 24: Whitley Kaufman, Rethinking the Ban on Assassination in Rethinking The Just War Tradition, pp Henry Shue, Torture (CP). April 7: Michael Walzer, Chapter 12/Terrorism in Just and Unjust Wars. Robert Fullwinder, Understanding Terrorism in The Morality of War, eds. May, Rovie and Viner, pp April 12: Andrew Valls, Can Terrorism Be Justified? in The Morality of War, p Joseph Boyle, Just War Doctrine and the Military Response to Terrorism in The Morality of War, pp April 14: David Rodin, The Ethics of Asymmetric War. April 19: L. Damrosch, The Collective Enforcement of International Norms Through Economic Sanctions (CP). A. Pierce, Just War Principles and Economic Sanctions (CP). April 21: Sanford Levinson, Responsibility for Crimes of War in War and Moral Responsibility, pp

5 5 April 26: Neta Crawford, Individual and Collective Moral Responsibility for Systematic Military Atrocity (CP). May 3: C. Felice, Pacifism: A Philosophical Exploration (CP). May 5: Jan Narveson, Pacificism: A Philosophical Analysis (CP). 2 ND PAPERS DUE MAY 7th.