War and Violence

The Three general questions: What is war? What causes war? Can war ever be morally justifiable?

1.

What is War?

Cicero defines war broadly as a contention by force; Hugo Grotius adds that war is the state of contending parties, considered as such; Denis Diderot comments that war is a convulsive and violent disease of the body politic; Alternatively, the Oxford Dictionary expands the definition to include any active hostility or struggle between living beings; a conflict between opposing forces or principles. The root of the English word war, werra, is Frankish-German, meaning confusion, discord, or strife An alternative definition that war is a state of organized, open-ended collective conflict or

hostility.
War armed conflict between states or nations (international war) or between factions within a state (civil war), prosecuted by force and having the purpose of compelling the defeated side to do the will of the victor.

2.

What causes war?

It is claimed that man is not free to choose his actions (strong determinism) then war becomes a fated fact of the universe, one that humanity has no power to challenge. Others, who emphasize mans freedom to choose, claim that war is a product of his choice and hence is completely his responsibility. Rejecting biological determinism, culturalists seek to explain wars causation in terms of particular cultural institutions. Rationalists are those who emphasize the efficacy of mans reason in human affairs, and accordingly proclaim war to be a product of reason (or lack of). Many who explain wars origins in mans abandonment of reason also derive their thoughts from Plato, who argues that wars and revolutions and battles are due simply and solely to the body and its desires. Freuds cogitation on war (Why War) in which he sees wars origins in the death instinct, Motivations for war may be different for those ordering the war than for those undertaking the war.

Just War Theory

Just War Theory (JWT) is the view that some wars are just, or at least justifiable, and that justifiable wars merit full Christian support and participation. JWT has classical origins. Rudiments of this tradition can be found in Plato and Aristotle JWT emerges after the official christianization of the Roman Empire as an ethic for Christian political leaders and those advising them. The criteria for just war theory vary with different authors, but there is much internal discussion about these within the tradition. A basic summary would include the following

Jus ad Bellum (just entry into war) Just cause: to protect innocent life, secure basic human rights, restore secure peace. Competent authority: war must be declared/waged by legitimate governmental authority. Comparative justice: our cause must be just, and it must be worth killing for. Right intention: pursuit of peace and reconciliation, not vengeance, territory, or pride. Probability of success: Victory must be possible if not, is it worth the bloodshed? Proportionality: the costs incurred must be proportionate to the good expected. Last resort: all peaceful alternatives must have been exhausted.

Jus in bello (just conduct of war) Proportionality: continuing evaluation of costs and good of war. Noncombatant immunity/discrimination: civilian populations may not be intentionally targeted or harmed; relates to treatment of prisoners of war as well.

3.

Can war ever be morally justifiable?

Moral and intellectual approaches to war divide into four basic categories. Pacifism says that all war is morally wrong. Realism says that war is essentially about power and self-interest, Holy war or crusade says that God, or some secular ideology of ultimate concern, can authorize the coercion or killing of non-believers. just war says that universal moral criteria should be applied to specific situations to determine whether the use of force is morally justified.