The Ethics of War: Is it ever permissible to harm civilians?

[@dennis2376]

Murder and killing are different motives. I wonder how an A.I. war would classified or the use A.I. war robots? Thank you.

[@drblunt]

Very true. AI is going to present some serious problems in the ethics of war. In the one hand it could be used to limit battlefield casualties by being coded against killing non-combatants. On the other it it could automatically cause escalation if certain boxes get ticked. I might do a video because there is a lot to unpack including who would be ethically responsible for AI weapons. Thanks for asking and for watching!

[@hoffy1955]

“He who joyfully marches to music in rank and file has already earned my contempt. He has been given a large brain by mistake, since for him the spinal cord would fully suffice. This disgrace to civilization should be done away with at once. Heroism at command, senseless brutality, deplorable love-of-country stance, how violently I hate all this, how despicable and ignoble war is; I would rather be torn to shreds than be a part of so base an action! It is my conviction that killing under the cloak of war is nothing but an act of murder.” ~Albert Einstein

[@josephgoldman2481]

Please direct me to your comments on hiding behind civilians while keeping kidnapped civilians in tunnels in Gaza

[@drblunt]

I’m going to assume this is a good faith challenge and not at shitpost. Here’s my take: The conflict in Palestine is an obvious ethical morass but the implicit claim in your comment is that Hamas is justified in a human shield strategy (or rather that I would think so). I don’t think so. And that is because there is a clear and obvious duty to minimise harm to non-combatants even in instances where it puts combatants at greater risk. Waiving principles of non-combatant immunity is an incredibly high bar and it is unclear that this conflict meets it. This duty also attaches to Israel. As I mention at the end of the video there is a principle of double intention that needs to be followed in war and it applies universally.