Episode 134, The Philosophy of War (Part I - The Human Condition)
The Panpsycast Philosophy Podcast
Jack Symes | Andrew Horton, Oliver Marley, and Rose de Castellane
4.8 • 604 Ratings
🗓️ 25 August 2024
⏱️ 43 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
On August 6, 1945, an atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, instantly killing up to 80,000 civilians, with another 40,000 dying soon after from burns and radiation poisoning. The bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki led to the surrender of the Japanese Army, marking the end of the most destructive war in history.
War has been a constant throughout history. Since the dawn of agriculture, humans have waged war against one another. Some argue that war is ingrained in human nature, from our ancestors battling over resources and empires seeking expansion, to biblical genocides and acts of human sacrifice—Homo sapiens are seemingly insatiable for conflict. Others, however, believe war is not inevitable and that we have the capacity for humility, justice, and kindness without resorting to armed conflict.
We must remember that explaining war is not the same as justifying it. While pacifism, as exemplified by Jesus and Gandhi, is often seen as noble, is non-violence truly effective against regimes intent on ethnic cleansing? If not, how do we determine when war is justified and what defines proportional force? Can the killing of innocent civilians ever be justified? And, if not, how do they differ from innocent combatants? War, huh, good god, what is it good for?
Links
A.C. Grayling, War: An Enquiry (book)
Richard Overy, Why War? (book)
Jeff Mcmahan, Killing in War (book)
Michael Walzer, Just and Unjust Wars (book)
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | On August 6, 1945, an atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, instantly killing up to 80,000 civilians, |
| 0:15.0 | with another 40,000 dying soon after from burns and radiation poisoning. |
| 0:20.5 | The bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki led to surrender of the Japanese army, marking the end |
| 0:25.3 | of the most destructive war in history. |
| 0:27.8 | War has been a constant throughout history. |
| 0:29.6 | Since the dawn of agriculture, humans have waged war against one another. |
| 0:33.5 | Some argue that war is ingrained in human nature, from our ancestors battling over resources, |
| 0:38.3 | and empires seeking expansion, to biblical genocides and acts of human sacrifice. |
| 0:43.3 | Homo sapiens are seemingly insatiable for conflict. |
| 0:47.3 | Others, however, believe war is not inevitable, and that we have the capacity for humility, justice and kindness without resorting to armed conflict. |
| 0:57.1 | We must remember that explaining war is not the same as justifying it. |
| 1:01.7 | While pacifism, as exemplified by Jesus and Gandhi, is often seen as noble, is nonviolence |
| 1:08.1 | truly effective against regime's intent on ethnic cleansing? |
| 1:11.9 | If not, how do we determine when war is justified and what defines proportional force? |
| 1:17.7 | Can the killing of innocent civilians ever be justified? |
| 1:21.1 | And if not, how do they differ from innocent combatants? |
| 1:25.4 | War. |
| 1:26.3 | Good God. |
| 1:28.1 | What is it good for? |
| 1:42.1 | Hello and welcome to episode 134 of the Panpsychast. |
| 1:49.0 | I'm the field medic, that is Dr. Jack Syves. |
| 1:51.7 | I'm delighted to be joined. |
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