The Ethics of Peace and War: From State Security to World Community (Edinburgh Studies in World Ethics)

The ethics of peace and war is one of the central ethical issues in International Relations today. This book looks at three key theories which have implications for the role of ethics in war and armed conflict: cosmopolitanism; internationalism; and political realism. It argues for the appropriateness of cosmopolitanism above the other two general theories, with its emphasis on the equal worth of all human beings as the basis for a global moral community. This ethical theory is shown to have a vital role to play in international politics in light of changing conceptions of peace and security, the prevalence of internal over international wars, and the increasing emphasis on international humanitarian intervention as a justification for the use of military force. The book is divided into three parts - after a general introduction to peace and war in world ethics there follow sections on International Politics and the Morality of Peace and War; Ethical Approaches to Armed Conflict; and Cosmopolitan Strategies. A conclusion sums up the arguments. This is a topical book suitable for a range of courses in Philosophy, Politics, Peace Studies and International Relations. Key Features * Evaluates the relevance of the theory of cosmopolitanism to the specific problems of war and armed conflict * Examines two contrasting positions on the ethics of war and armed conflict: pacifism and just war theory * Analyses contemporary issues and debates including postmodern and asymmetrical war, and peace-building and conflict prevention * A central theme is the ambiguous role of the state in controlling and justifying the use of military force and in constructing a new cosmopolitan world order Looks at the role of 3 theories - cosmopolitanism, internationalism and political realism - in armed conflict The ethics of peace and war is one of the central ethical issues in International Relations today. Arguing in favour of cosmopolitanism, with its emphasis on the equal worth of all human beings, Iain Atack shows this theory has a vital role to play in international politics in light of changing conceptions of peace and security, the prevalence of civil wars over international wars and the increasing emphasis on justifying military force as humanitarian intervention.Key FeaturesExamines two contrasting positions on the ethics of war and armed conflict: pacifism and just war theoryAnalyses contemporary issues and debates including postmodern and asymmetrical war, and peace-building and conflict preventionUnpacks the ambiguous role of the state in controlling and justifying the use of military force and in constructing a new cosmopolitan world order The ethics of peace and war is central to the idea of world ethics. In fact it can be argued to be one of the central ethical issues in international Relations more generally. This book looks at three general theories concerned with the role of ethics in international politics, focusing on the specific problems of war and armed conflict. The author explores the connections between these three theories - cosmopolitanism, reason of state, and just war theory and pacifism - and puts forward the argument for the appropriateness of cosmopolitanism (with its emphasis on the equal worth of all human beings as the basis for a global moral community) above the other two general theories in light of current issues concerning war and armed conflict, changing conceptions of peace and security, the prevalence of internal over international wars, and the increasing emphasis on international humanitarian intervention as a justification for the use of military force.