Leiden University Student Repository

Janyszek, Samuel (2018)

Morality and War: Is Western Military Intervention Against ISIS Morally Just?

Master thesis | Philosophy (MA) (60 EC)

War brings about destruction and loss of human life, and should be avoided at all cost. Unfortunately, sometimes, the same values that makes us want to avoid war are the ones that need defending. At times, war is necessary to put an end to destruction and attacks on human life and restore a status quo based on these moral values. Looking at various tools, most notably contemporary just war theory, this master thesis will argue that the Western military powers have a moral right – if not a moral duty towards the oppressed foreign populations as well as their own citizens – to intervene militarily in Syria and Iraq, where the so-called Islamic State spreads fear, chaos and destruction. There is a caveat to this, however. Those who intervene must carefully consider their chances of success and assure a just peace in the wake of the violence that rules there. A just intention is meaningless if the end is not just too.

Philosophy

ISIS

morality

just war

war

west

Author

Janyszek, Samuel

Faculty

Faculty of Humanities

Specialisation

Philosophy, Politics and Economics

Supervisors

Boot, Eric

ECTS Credits

10

Language

en