Philosophy For All London

Meet up fortnightly with Anja and other philosophers at midnight (UK time) for a candlelit hour of thinking about life, the universe and everything. All meetings are free, light a candle and join us on Zoom! Topic for this session is above in title. Come in from 23:45, event starts at midnight. See you then!

ATTEND IN PERSON OR ON ZOOM
Lecture and discussion

Abstract: Any philosopher who tries to write about war faces a conundrum. For war seems to justify what the 6th commandment forbids: to kill another human being. While it is agreed that it is wrong to kill, killing an enemy in warfare seems morally justifiable. This is a position that so-called Just War theorists advance. They argue that we can morally justify wars because wars can eliminate evil and, as a result, bring about a better, i.e., just world. This lecture questions this position by drawing on Kant's seminal work Toward Perpetual Peace. It argues that the problem is that Just War theorists assume that force can bring about justice. But might is not right. Wars are essentially barbaric and cannot eliminate evil or deter future hostilities. This lecture seeks to show that the intrinsic immorality of war generates its own distinctive set of moral demands. Once we realise that disputes cannot be resolved through force, we recognise that there is only one alternative: we have a duty to understand war in terms of its opposite: perpetual peace.

PFA POLITICAL ANIMALS returns, now on Zoom. Join us for a short presentation, followed by friendly but serious discussion. Zoom link becomes available once you sign up.

Meet up fortnightly with Anja and other philosophers at midnight (UK time) for a candlelit hour of thinking about life, the universe and everything. All meetings are free, light a candle and join us on Zoom! Topic for this session is above in title. Come in from 23:45, event starts at midnight. See you then!