Just War Theory - A Reappraisal

Edinburgh University Press, 2005

A timely reassessment of Just War Theory. The idea of a 'just war' has existed for centuries - morality may sometimes justify resort to war, and when it does, it should regulate war's conduct. The tenets and applications of just war theory have long been controversial and many have challenged its claim to be the most appropriate way of framing moral thinking about war. The nature of modern warfare and recent developments in international affairs have significantly exacerbated its controversies and it is therefore time to re-examine just war theory as we struggle to bring moral criteria to bear on the brutal realities of military conduct. This book offers a collection of critical engagements with the key tenets of just war theory, to evaluate its theoretical and practical credibility. Readers will be furnished with a rigorous and comprehensive assessment of the theory's various elements in order to identify what might be salvaged and what might need revision or even removal from its body....