Humanity in modern warfare, empathy and jus in bello

• Authors: Kaja Kowalczewska

Abstracts

EN

Based on the work of S. Baron-Cohen, the text considers the relationship of empathy disorders with the perception of humanity in the context of the conduct of hostilities. Making use of philosophical and legal assumptions, it examines the understanding of the principles of humanity and dictates of public conscience, namely the Martens Clause, providing for the moral compass of international humanitarian law. Controversially it argues that the widely proclaimed postulate of warfare humanisation is a kind of paradox. On the one hand, we assume that man is inherently good and, therefore, the conduct of war should be more humane; on the other hand, we perform it by withdrawing man from the battlefield and by replacing him with autonomous systems . Will the replacement of human weaknesses kind by artificial intelligence lead to a revolutionary solution and reduction of suffering or will it only speed up movement of humanity on the slippery slope? In this text, the author will try to draw the reader's attention to the often overlooked ethical dilemmas and issues of fundamental nature which are often lacking in the security studies.

Keywords

EN

principle of humanity; empathy; robotisation of warfare; autonomous weapons; Martens Clause; international humanitarian law; armed conflicts

• Publisher: Wyższa Szkoła Bezpieczeństwa Publicznego i Indywidualnego “Apeiron” w Krakowie
• Journal: Security Dimensions: International & National Studies
• Year: 2014
• Volume: 12(12)
• Pages: 189-200

Contributors

author

Kaja Kowalczewska

Identifiers

Biblioteka Nauki

1861722