EPISODE‌ ‌43 - Are There Innocent Civilians in War?

“You can’t just apply the rules as if they’re always going to be the same.”

— Professor Anthony Lang

You might think that “ethics of war” is a contradiction in terms. But although the vast majority of us would prefer it did not exist, warfare is a rich subject when it comes to discussing ethical considerations.

This episode of Living Jewishly is an instalment of What Would You Do?. In this episode, Dr. Elliot Malamet welcomes three esteemed scholars, Professor Anthony Lang, Professor Helen Frowe, and Professor Asa Kasher, to explore the contemporary ethics of war.

Is there such a thing as an innocent civilian given the nature of today’s conflicts? Have the ethics of war changed due to the rise of asymmetrical warfare? What is the moral responsibility of non-combatant participants, such as munitions factory workers? If the ends are important enough, can they justify any means?

Proportionality, collateral damage, and just cause are just a few of the complex topics explored in this thought-provoking episode.

“It’s much harder to justify killing people than just failing to save them.”

— Professor Helen Frowe

This‌ ‌episode discusses:‌ ‌

✔ Whether we should safeguard the safety of the civilians of an enemy state that has eliminated the distinction between combatants and non-combatants

✔ The existence of inviolable rules — and when it could be justified to transgress basic principles of war

✔ How proportionality figures into the moral calculus of warfare