Philosophy

Unit 4:Ethics of War

Rationale: This topic aims to draw on students’ growing understanding of ethics and morality developed throughout the course and apply it to the concepts of war and peace.  Students will begin by unpacking what constitutes both war and peace and assess if they are mutually exclusive terms. They will investigate Augustine of Hippo’s Just War Theory and compare it to the UN’s Geneva Convention. Further to this, students will explore the reasons for war and ascertain if any of these are morally ‘right’ and explore specific cases of war and peace in history and contemporary society. Students will continue developing their skills in COI. 

Students will also learn about the concept of peace in a practical and philosophical sense, theorising and proposing what is needed in a society for peace to occur, and design their own utopias based on their theories.​​