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In case you missed it, give a listen to JU Professor Erich Freiberger’s recent appearance on the popular local public radio show First Coast Connect as he discusses the debate over Just War Theory and the ethical implications of the U.S. use of drones in warfare.
Freiberger, a professor of philosopy, told WJCT host Karen Feagins Feb. 26 that Just War Theory dates back to Plato and was further developed in the third century as Christianity became a dominant religion in the West. It explores the idea of what is permitted and not permitted in the extreme instance of warfare.
A recently leaked U.S. Justice Department memo outlined justifications for the use of drones in the face of “an imminent threat.”
“In Just War Theory there are a number of principles, and the memo is true to some of those principles, but it sets a bar that is actually quite high for their [drones’] use, and it’s not clear to me that we’re living up to that bar,” Freiburger said.
Those principles include that “violence should only be used as a last resort, it can be used in self-defense against imminent threat, it should be proportionate to the threat faced, non-combatants should not be harmed … and that war should be waged for the sake of a future peace.”
To listen to the entire interview, click here and then scroll down the page to the “Listen” button.