Date of Award
11-1971
Document Type
Dissertation - Restricted
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Theology
First Advisor
Patrick J. Coffey
Second Advisor
Lottie H. Kendzierski
Third Advisor
Francis J. Collingwood
Fourth Advisor
Francis C. Wode
Abstract
The study may he described as a philosophical exposition and critique of Paul Ramsey's just war theory.
The purpose of the exposition is to offer a comprehensive view of Paul Ramsey's Christian ethics as a whole by laying bare its essential structure. This involves a textual analysis of the theological presuppositions and ethical methodology underlying the just war position. Specifically, the analysis is concerned with exposing the absolute or unqualified assertion of the just war principle as it is formulated in theological, ethical and political terms.
The over-all purpose of the critique is a two-fold examination of Ramsey's just war doctrine: (1) in terms of consistency within its own Christian ethics framework and fundamental premises and (2) by calling into question the validity of directly deriving a formal political theory within that framework.
The first phase of the critique considers two points: (1) the assertion that just war is not only a justifiable "exception" but rather the essential feature of political life and (2) that the just war doctrine is directly derived from the Good Samaritan doctrine. The criterion for examining the first point is found in its original referent in Ramsey's general ethical methodology where he analyzes the varying degrees of universalizability that justify the faithfulness of the so-called "exception." For the second point, the original Gospel parable on which Ramsey bases his interpretation is used as a criterion of internal consistency. On the basis of what Scripture scholars interpret to he its fundamental lesson or moral, the original parable as well as Ramsey's interpretation are cast in syllogistic form in order to see whether the latter contains the same core of truth value as the original principle with which it claims to be identified.
The second phase of the critique consists of two parts: (1) Taking as the key reference points in Ramsey's view of man to be his interpretation of Augustine and modern social contract theory, the criterion is the ontological question of the role of the individual with respect to society, and the role of intellect's responsibility for just deliberation with respect to faithful submission to authoritative structures. (2) The question is considered whether the war Ramsey justifies is "just war" in the traditional sense of a limited means of conflict resolution.
Comments
A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate School, Marquette University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy.