military ethics
Wartime moral principles
Military ethics is the branch of moral philosophy concerned with the conduct of armed forces and warfare.
It addresses questions about when war is justified (jus ad bellum), how it should be fought (jus in bello), and what obligations persist afterward.
Core issues include distinguishing combatants from civilians, proportionality of force, treatment of prisoners, and obedience to orders versus individual conscience: The drone strike raised serious questions of military ethics.
Professional military education increasingly emphasizes ethics as distinct from mere rules of engagement.
- consequentialismEthics judging by results
- rules of engagementConstraints on military action
- Geneva ConventionsWartime humanitarian treaties
- moralityRight and wrong principles
- accountabilityObligation for one's actions
moral courage · chain of command · human rights · war on terror · Hague Conventions · transparency · deontology · justice · honor · conduct unbecoming · public trust · rules of war · proportionality · societal impact · duty · collateral damage · prisoner · atrocity
- military educationofficer training, cadet training, war college, tactical training
- military publicationsStars and Stripes, Proceedings, maintenance manuals, field manuals, training manuals
- strategystrategy, grand strategy, tactics, tactic, tactical
- warfarebattle, combat, attack, war, armed conflict
- ethicsmorality, deontology, dignity, sanctity of life, utilitarianism
- military sciencestrategy, tactics, warfare, combat training, defense policy
military ethicswar crimes
Illegal acts during conflict
atrocities · barbarism · savagery · crimes against humanity · genocide
military ethicsmedical ethics
Healthcare moral principles
business ethics · legal ethics · domestic law · academic ethics