Morality And Ethical Connotations Of War - 1578 Words

INTRODUCTION Humans have discussed and argued about the morality and ethical connotations of war, and the means in which we conduct our wars, for thousands of years. Every major civilization in our world has an evolved tradition on what is and is not acceptable on the battlefields in which we meet. These traditions and views continue to change based on a reflection on similar concerns. These concerns are the questions to which we seek answers to that help shape who we are as individuals and countries. Who are the individuals that can be named legitimate targets? What weapons, or weapon systems, can we use to engage and possibly kill these targets? What amount of collateral damage and/or civilian casualties are acceptable in order to engage these targets? Moral and ethical evaluations of the available weapons are naturally grounded in the answers that traditions have provided to these fundamental questions. One important moral implication, effecting how we address the question of civilian casualties, has to do with weapons that are inherently indiscriminate. It is widely accepted that not only is their use in war morally prohibited, but their mere possession as well is looked at as immoral. There is some historical evidence that suggests that the use of biological weapons may be at least 3300 years old. Ancient texts have recently provided evidence that in the Middle East the Hittites around 1320 BCE sent rams infected with the bacterial disease tularemia (rabbitShow MoreRelatedLeadership Is Not About The Laws Of Acceptable Behavior1428 Words   |  6 Pagesabout people believing in you. There have been many notorious and notable leaders throughout history. Some were not necessarily of high moral behavior and some were, but most were leaders that could unite their people in a cause. Without a sense of morality, many leaders have led people to commit acts of immorality. Just as humanity must depend on the morals and ethics of its citizens to survive, leaders in our society must also uphold some basic morals and ethics, if we have any hope of keeping ourRead MoreUnderstanding Logic And Reason Behind Everything996 Words   |  4 Pagesbehind everything can be complicated . Some old mathematicians believe, for instance, that we cannot represent the greatest number, if it exists, because N+1 or when adding 1 to the greatest number, N will no longer be the highest number. Similarly, morality makes sense only as long as it remains in the practical domain. Generally, there are two important factors that affect our moral actions which are rationality and reason. Rationality is the way of analyzing the relationship between cause and effectRead MoreEssay on The State of Nature is a State of War1498 Words   |  6 Pagesunderstand Hobbes’s argument for why the State of Nature is a State of War it is important to understand Hobbes’s meanings of the terms State of Nature and State of War. The State of Nature is the condition where mankind is forced in contact with one another in a society where there is no authority to enforce power or laws. In this state, the lack of authority encompasses the lack of political institutions and the connotations associated with them: no national allegiances and no punishment. All menRead MoreWhen I Read That The United States Has A â€Å"Drug Problem†,1060 Words   |  5 Pagesit is effective in helping addicts. This is not as easily attainable when it comes to more addictive drugs though. Douglas Husak has a different point of view on the war on drugs. 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ThereRead MoreExistentialism : A Philosophical Movement907 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"The existential attitude begins with a disoriented individual facing a confused world that the cannot accept† - Robert Solomon Existentialism is best considered a philosophical movement established after World War II. People in this movement examined the problem of life for human beings. Each existentialist believes that life is absurd and has no meaning. Their common concern was with the â€Å"human condition†. 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While there are a variety of connotations and denotations of the word leadership, one can say that an effective leader doesn’t necessarily need to have all the traits that a great leader needs to have, but only possessing the traits of being able to direct individuals into the correct path, being ethical and having high moral values, and being loyal. Through the usage of positive words and having an optimistic mindsetRead MoreReligious Diversity And Its Impact On Society1792 Words   |  8 PagesThis essay will argue that ethical and humanist spirituality do form a viable alternative to religion because statistics show that in response to capitalism, and in the context of contemporary society there has been a move away from traditional forms of religion. It will also argue that ethical and humanist spirituality appeals to the contemporary push towards individualism. This essay also that in the context of modern society and its emphasis on consumerism, ethical and humanist spirituality hasRead MoreEthics of Materialism1603 Words   |  7 Pagesregister that there is a relationship between materialism and ethics; although, under examination, we can see that there is indeed a great association between the two. Are materialism and the obsessive consumer culture we have made for ourselves ethical? Peoples opinion on this question can be polar opposites. Some people believe that materialism has great benefits for the technological and economic growth, while others argue that materialism strips people of their individuality and creates unethical