Is there a "just" war? | Chris Blattman and Lex Fridman

TL;DR

This content delves into the quantification of justice in wars, exploring factors such as intent, violence, and the greater good, and discusses the implications of evaluating wars based on subjective moral claims.

Transcript

I was looking at just War index or people trying to measure trying to put a number and what wars are seen as just and not oh really I've never seen that it's there there's numbers behind it it's it's great so it's great because again as you do an extensive quantification of Justice you start to think what actually contributes to our thought that fo... Read More

Key Insights

• 👋 Quantifying the justness of wars involves considering factors like intent, violence, and the greater good, offering a more comprehensive evaluation.
• 🫱 Subjective moral claims alone are insufficient to determine the justness of a war and must be analyzed within the context of objective factors.
• 🫱 Evaluating wars after they occur provides a global perspective, ensuring balanced assessments without favoring the perspectives of the warring parties.
• 🫱 Most wars can be avoided by exploring alternative solutions, but in some cases, military intervention may become the only viable option.
• 🍃 The intransigence of one side in a conflict can eliminate potential negotiated solutions, leaving limited strategic choices.
• 🙈 The U.S invasion of Afghanistan can be seen as potentially just due to the necessity of addressing a threat (Al-Qaeda) sheltered by the Taliban, despite the avoidability of the war.

Questions & Answers

Q: What are some factors that contribute to determining whether a war is just or not?

Factors such as intent, the degree of necessary violence, the greater good, and reasons for war (freedom, stopping a genocide, territorial conquest) contribute to evaluating the justness of wars.

Q: How are subjective moral claims taken into account when determining the justness of wars?

Subjective moral claims, such as a personal belief or a moral sense suggesting something is repugnant, cannot be the sole basis for justifying a war. They need to be evaluated in the context of objective factors like intent and consequences.

Q: Can wars be assessed objectively, without relying on the opinions of those who waged the wars?

By evaluating wars from a global perspective and conducting general surveys to gauge public perception, it is possible to reduce the reliance on the opinions of those directly involved in the conflicts.

Q: Is it always possible to find a just war?

In principle, most wars can be avoided through alternative means. However, circumstances may arise where other options are limited, and military intervention becomes the only viable strategic choice.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Quantifying the justness of wars involves considering elements like intent, violence, and the greater good.

• Evaluating the justness of wars after they happen allows for a global perspective and avoids bias from the perspectives of those who waged the wars.

• Most wars can be avoided as there are alternative means of achieving objectives, but certain circumstances may warrant military intervention.