The Morality of the Laws of War: War, Law, and Murder

According to Dr. Prieto Rudolphy's book "The Morality of the Laws of War," just combatants in an unjust war should be considered innocents, and their deaths considered murder. He examines the tension between the revisionist morality and the traditional thesis of symmetry between combatants and proposes a contingent justification of the latter and an alternative morality of war. He argues that regulating war is always a moral compromise and that there is urgent moral pressure to improve our laws to bring them closer to an ideal whereby war does not exist.

Format: Hardback
Length: 320 pages
Publication date: 26 May 2023
Publisher: Oxford University Press

Regardless of whether the wars in which they engage are just or unjust, legal or illegal, combatants are equal under the laws of armed conflict. They are permissible targets and may kill one another in battle. Revisionists, a group of moral philosophers, have recently questioned this fundamental aspect of international law by asserting that just combatants in an unjust war should be considered innocents, and their deaths should be regarded as murder. In his book, "The Morality of the Laws of War: War, Law, and Murder," Dr. Prieto Rudolphy delves into this conflict and provides an in-depth assessment of modern ethical thought on killing in wartime. He deconstructs the revisionist view of war and offers a fresh perspective on the legal equality of combatants.

Prieto Rudolphy examines the tension between the revisionist morality and the traditional thesis of symmetry between combatants. He proposes a contingent justification of the latter and an alternative morality of war. At the same time, he argues that regulating war is always a moral compromise. However, he also believes that there is urgent moral pressure to improve our laws to bring them closer to an ideal whereby war does not exist.

"The Morality of the Laws of War" is a must-read for scholars of moral philosophy and international law, from students to experts. It provides a thorough account of contemporary debates on the ethics of warfare and uses nuanced arguments to illuminate a fresh perspective. By challenging the traditional views on the morality of war, Prieto Rudolphy offers a valuable contribution to the field and helps us to better understand the complexities of this important topic.

Weight: 610g
Dimension: 240 x 160 x 25 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780192855473