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Chapter 15. TERRORISM AND WAR

1. At least some terrorists think of themselves as soldiers or freedom fighters (Sections 15.4 and 15.5) rather than terrorists.  In light of the distinction between emotive and descriptive meaning in Chapter 1, Section 1.3, TB 1A, do you think it matters what labels are used?  Or do you think that individuals who use violence (whether in the military or in what are considered terrorist groups) should be judged by what they do rather than by how they are labeled? 

2. Virtually no one believes that the innocent should be punished, yet war, which most people accept, inevitably kills innocent people.  Is that consistent? Why or why not?  

3. A right intention (i.e., an intention to bring about a good) is one of the requirements the just war theory lays down for justifiably going to war. But we can distinguish between what is intended and what is foreseeable (one might intend to destroy a military installation but foresee that civilians who live nearby will be killed if it is bombed).  Do you think that there is a moral distinction between intentionally killing innocent people in war and killing them only foreseeably? How would you explain and defend your answer?