RE: Moral justification for the execution of criminals of war?
August 7, 2022 at 10:45 am
(This post was last modified: August 7, 2022 at 10:49 am by The Grand Nudger.)
A desire for success explicitly leads to utilitarian arguments for x. It may be believed that an execution is beneficial to the function or future of society. That if we don’t take strong action against war criminals, for example, civilization as we know it could be consumed by war crimes. We commonly point out that we’ve largely failed to take that action, reserving it only for the petty and/or defeated, and just look at the world now. This criticism subtlety accepts that utilitarian justification, itself.
I disagree, but If utilitarian justifications are moral justifications then they are right and wrong ( accurate or inaccurate) exclusively with regard to success. Even with that assumed for the sake of conversation I think we might wonder whether the premise of life in a prison juxtaposed against death on the battlefield might compel more war criminals to surrender, or at least stop. If it’s death on the battlefield or death as a prisoner, we lose that leverage and may endanger the success of our societies or efforts. It may fall short of satisfying some victims demands, it may even fall short of justice…but we clearly have no problem failing victims or under serving justice in pursuit of some stated or implicit goal.
I disagree, but If utilitarian justifications are moral justifications then they are right and wrong ( accurate or inaccurate) exclusively with regard to success. Even with that assumed for the sake of conversation I think we might wonder whether the premise of life in a prison juxtaposed against death on the battlefield might compel more war criminals to surrender, or at least stop. If it’s death on the battlefield or death as a prisoner, we lose that leverage and may endanger the success of our societies or efforts. It may fall short of satisfying some victims demands, it may even fall short of justice…but we clearly have no problem failing victims or under serving justice in pursuit of some stated or implicit goal.
I am the Infantry. I am my country’s strength in war, her deterrent in peace. I am the heart of the fight… wherever, whenever. I carry America’s faith and honor against her enemies. I am the Queen of Battle. I am what my country expects me to be, the best trained Soldier in the world. In the race for victory, I am swift, determined, and courageous, armed with a fierce will to win. Never will I fail my country’s trust. Always I fight on…through the foe, to the objective, to triumph overall. If necessary, I will fight to my death. By my steadfast courage, I have won more than 200 years of freedom. I yield not to weakness, to hunger, to cowardice, to fatigue, to superior odds, For I am mentally tough, physically strong, and morally straight. I forsake not, my country, my mission, my comrades, my sacred duty. I am relentless. I am always there, now and forever. I AM THE INFANTRY! FOLLOW ME!
