The Moral Status of Combatants: A New Theory of Just War

This book develops a new contractualist foundation for just war theory,defending the moral equality of combatants and associated egalitarian moral norms. It challenges the revisionist view that combatants on the unjust side of a war have no right to fight and proposes a theory defending the traditional view of military ethics based on a universal duty to support just institutions.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 202 pages
Publication date: 29 January 2024
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This book presents a novel contractualist framework for just war theory, which upholds the traditional belief in the moral equality of combatants and associated egalitarian moral standards. Traditionally, it has been held that fighters on both sides of a war possess the same right to engage in combat, regardless of the justice of their cause, and both parties must adhere to the same limitations on the use of force, particularly prohibitions on targeting non-combatants. Revisionist philosophers have contended that combatants on the unjust side of a war do not have the right to fight, that pro-war civilians on the unjust side may be legitimate targets, and that lawful combatants on the unjust side may potentially face prosecution for their involvement on the unjust side. This book aims to undermine the revisionist project and defend the traditional view of the moral equality of combatants. It achieves this by demonstrating how revisionist philosophers fail to establish a robust foundation for their arguments and fail to recognize the moral distinction between collective military violence and a series of individually unjustified violent acts. Furthermore, the book develops a theory defending the traditional view of military ethics based on a universal duty of all individuals to support just institutions.

This book will be of immense interest to students of just war theory, ethics philosophy, and war studies.

Weight: 453g
Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367521080