The ethics of war and peace : an introduction /

Contemporary philosophical inquiry into just war theory is extensive and ever growing, responding to the moral and political complexities of warfare in a post-9/11 world. Frowe (Univ. of Kent, UK) offers a thorough introduction to the philosophical literature. In ten tightly argued chapters, she surveys the full range of issues: the justice of going to war (jus ad bellum), the just conduct of war (jus in bello), and the just conclusion of war (jus post bellum). She also addresses ethical questions about preemptive warfare, terrorism, and torture. In each chapter, she evenhandedly presents the status of the contemporary debate and critically appraises the arguments, while staking out no particular position herself. Frowe explicitly limits her focus to the theoretical inquiry of contemporary philosophers. She does not discuss just war tradition or the critiques of "pure" just war "theory" by traditionalists. The result is an incomplete introduction to "the ethics of war and peace" as historically understood. Nevertheless, Frowe admirably introduces newcomers to the complex debates of contemporary philosophers whose arguments do help shape the policy and practice of warfare today. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-level undergraduates through graduate students; practitioners and general readers. S. D. Lake Trinity Christian College