TY - JOUR
T1 - In Bello Proportionality
T2 - Philosophical Reflections on a Disturbing Empirical Study
AU - de Wijze, Stephen
AU - Statman, Daniel
AU - Sulitzeanu-Kenan, Raanan
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
PY - 2022
Y1 - 2022
N2 - A recent empirical study has argued that experts in the ethics or the law of war cannot reach reasonable convergence on dilemmas regarding the number of civilian casualties who may be killed as a side effect of attacks on legitimate military targets. This article explores the philosophical implications of that study. We argue that the wide disagreement between experts on what in bello proportionality means in practice casts serious doubt on their ability to provide practical real-life guidance. We then suggest viewing in bello proportionality through the prism of virtue ethics.
AB - A recent empirical study has argued that experts in the ethics or the law of war cannot reach reasonable convergence on dilemmas regarding the number of civilian casualties who may be killed as a side effect of attacks on legitimate military targets. This article explores the philosophical implications of that study. We argue that the wide disagreement between experts on what in bello proportionality means in practice casts serious doubt on their ability to provide practical real-life guidance. We then suggest viewing in bello proportionality through the prism of virtue ethics.
KW - Proportionality
KW - experts
KW - just war theory
KW - virtue ethics
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85141037858&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/15027570.2022.2131104
DO - 10.1080/15027570.2022.2131104
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AN - SCOPUS:85141037858
SN - 1502-7570
VL - 21
SP - 116
EP - 131
JO - Journal of Military Ethics
JF - Journal of Military Ethics
IS - 2
ER -