“On the moral limits of compulsory military service”

Prof. Dr. Susanne Burri

SN 169

Guest lecture of the Department of Philosophy (in German)

Prof. Dr. Susanne Burri (Constance) :
“On the moral limits of compulsory military service”

In my lecture, I examine whether there can be a moral duty to fight in just wars. I discuss the extent to which such a duty can be derived from (i) our right to self-defense, (ii) our duties to help, (iii) promises we have made implicitly or explicitly, and (iv) rules of fairness. I argue that there is only a very limited duty to fight in just wars. Such a duty is further not limited to directly affected individuals, but is fundamentally global in scope. However, a legitimate authority can, under certain circumstances, force individuals to fight with moral justification even in cases where there is no compulsory military service.

Everyone interested is welcome!

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