The moral equality of combatants

This free course introduces and explores the idea of the moral equality of combatants and discusses the question of the basis of liability to killing in war. It invites students to understand and assess the epistemological argument for the moral equality of combatants and other arguments for and against this idea.

Course learning outcomes

After studying this course, you should be able to:

Understand the Jus ad Bellum / Jus in Bello distinction and be able to understand why it might need to be qualified

Understand and take a view on the idea of the moral equality of combatants

Understand and take a view on the question of the basis of liability to killing in war

Understand and assess the ‘epistemological argument’ for the moral equality of combatants

Understand and assess the ‘voluntariness argument’ for the moral equality of combatants.