War, a word that we are all familiar with, especially now while America is involved in a political
conflict with Iraq. What is war? Is it human nature to resort to war? Is war moral?
Philosophers throughout history have pondered the same questions coming up with several
conflicting answers. The very definition of war has been subject between philosophers. Cicero
defines war as "a contention by force", Hugo Grotius adds that "war is the state of contending
parities, considered such as", Thomas Hobbes notes that war is also an attitude: "By war is
meant a state of affairs, which may exist even while its operations are not continued". There is
no correct answer to rather war is morally right or wrong, but the views of several philosophers
conclude that war is necessary to live in peace.
The most enduring, and difficult philosophical questions with reference to war focuses
on the ethics of getting involved in the first place.
When evaluating war three theories have been
followed: Just war theory, Realism, Pacifism. When thinking in term of the Just War Theory
several guidelines are answered first. Within the theory it is broken down further into Justice of
resorting to war, the right conduct in the midst of battle, and justice during the final stage of war,
the termination period. Realism is mostly used by political scientists as well as scholars and
practitioners of international relations. Referring specially to war, realists beleive that it is an
intractable part of an anarchical world system, that it ought to be resorted to only if it makes
sense in terms of national self-intrest. They state that a country ought to do anything in its power
to win. Or in otherwords "anything goes". Pacifism is easily summed up as anti-warism.
When the subject of war is...
Typos
I liked this essay but there are quite a few typos, especially in the 2nd half. For example, in the sentence "...respect for libery and freedom than was the norm at
the time." Liberty is missing the "t".
And the in following sentence: "Even the war against Iraq is showing great improvments in peoples lives..." The word improvements is also missing a letter. There are many such mistakes.
You just need to run this through a spelling checker. :)
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