Opportunity Costs Pacifism

Law and Philosophy 39 (5):545-576 (2020)
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Abstract

If the resources used to wage wars could be spent elsewhere and save more lives, does this mean that wars are unjustified? This article considers this question, which has been largely overlooked by Just War Theorists and pacifists. It focuses on whether the opportunity costs of war lead to a form of pacifism, which it calls ‘Opportunity Costs Pacifism’. The article argues that Opportunity Costs Pacifism is, at the more ideal level, compelling. It suggests that the only plausible response to Opportunity Costs Pacifism applies in highly nonideal circumstances. This has major implications for Just War Theory and pacifism since it is only at the highly nonideal level that war can be justified.

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James Pattison
University of Manchester

Citations of this work

Spare Not a Naked Soldier: A Response to Daniel Restrepo.Maciek Zając - 2022 - Journal of Military Ethics 21 (1):66-81.

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References found in this work

Whether and Where to Give.Theron Pummer - 2016 - Philosophy and Public Affairs 44 (1):77-95.
Necessity in Self-Defense and War.Seth Lazar - 2012 - Philosophy and Public Affairs 40 (1):3-44.
War and poverty.Kieran Oberman - 2019 - Philosophical Studies 176 (1):197-217.
The Just Distribution of Harm Between Combatants and Noncombatants.Jeff Mcmahan - 2010 - Philosophy and Public Affairs 38 (4):342-379.

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