Self-Defense, Pacifism, and the Possibility of Killing
Author(s)
Ryan, Cheyney
Abstract
The author focuses on pacifist’s opposition to killing, which stands at the heart of his opposition to war. He construes pacifism as a skeptical position, standing behind the claim that proponents cannot produce a single compelling argument for why killing another person could be permissible. He sustains this charge as it applies to the justification of self-defense. He also goes beyond skepticism to consider the positive motivations behind the pacifists’ position, which lead to contradictory conclusions about killing.
