Philosophy and the Future of Warfare

Humanities at the Department for Continuing Education

Can there be such a thing as a ‘moral’ war? Can it ever be right to kill innocent people, even in self-defence? Can there be such a thing as a ‘moral’ war? Can it ever be right to kill innocent people, even in self-defence? How do autonomous weapons, remote control weapons and drones change the landscape of warfare, and our thinking about it? These questions and more will be discussed and debated by our panel of experts: Helen Frowe, Professor of Practical Philosophy at the University of Stockholm: Helen's research focuses on the ethics of war and defensive killing, with a special interest in the moral status of non-combatants and the permissibility of killing innocent people in self-defence. Alex Leveringhaus, James Martin Fellow, Oxford Institute for Ethics, Law and Armed Conflict: his research investigates the moral and legal implications arising from the development and usage of automated (or operationally autonomous) computer-based targeting systems (CBTS) in the military. I am interested in how the development of CBTS affects the rights of combatants during war and to what extent CBTS can be engineered to protect the rights of non-combatants. James Pattison, Professor of Politics, Universty of Manchester: his research interests currently lie in three related areas: (1) Just War Theory and the alternatives to war; (2) humanitarian intervention and the responsibility to protect (R2P); and (3) the use of private military and security companies. The discussion will be chaired by Marianne Talbot, Director of Studies in Philosophy, Oxford University Department for Continuing Education.