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War & Philosophy

The Philosophy of War

Ziyad Hayatli presents a condensed history of the philosophy of war.

A term such as ‘the laws of war’ seems oxymoronic in nature: a contradiction in terms. On the one hand, law is a rigid structure of rules that’s associated with order; on the other hand, war is an activity characterised by chaos and destruction. Yet there is now an understanding that when one goes to war, certain behaviours are expected, and when these standards are violated, demands for international justice are broadcast on the air, written in the papers, and shouted through the megaphones. Institutions such as the United Nations are chided as toothless, useless due to their limitations. The International Criminal Court is caught up in the debates about the laws and lawfulness of war, and they are numerous, concerning drone warfare, artificial intelligence, collateral damage, winning hearts and minds, chemical and biological weapons, the need for nuclear deterrence, and the very idea of humanitarian military intervention.

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