PHIL 1009A
Self-Defense and War
Self-Defense and War
Self-defense is widely accepted as the sole justification for war. In this course we will investigate moral and legal justifications for self-defense on both the individual and collective levels. We will consider questions such as: Why is self-defense justified between individuals? Can similar justifications be used to justify self-defense between states? Can appeals to self-defense be extended to modify international legal policies to include, for example, humanitarian intervention and/or preemptive strikes? In exploring these questions, we will read historical and contemporary authors such as Augustine, Grotius, Walzer, McMahan and Buchanan. Students will pursue independent research for a final project.
- Schedule
- 10:30am-12:30pm on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday (Jan 4, 2010 to Jan 29, 2010)
- Location
- Warner Hall HEM
- Instructors
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Viner, Steven
sviner@middlebury.edu -
Besser, Lorraine
lbesser@middlebury.edu
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