- "It aims to ensure that a war is morally justifiable through a series of criteria."
A framework for analyzing the morality of using military force, including the conditions for going to war (jus ad bellum) and the conduct of war (jus in bello).
- "It has been studied by military leaders, theologians, ethicists, and policymakers."
- "The criteria are split into two groups: jus ad bellum ("right to go to war") and jus in bello ("right conduct in war")."
- "The first group of criteria concerns the morality of going to war."
- "The second group of criteria concerns the moral conduct within war."
- "There have been calls for the inclusion of a third category of just war theory (jus post bellum) dealing with the morality of post-war settlement and reconstruction."
- "The just war theory postulates the belief that war, while it is terrible but less so with the right conduct, is not always the worst option."
- "Important responsibilities, undesirable outcomes, or preventable atrocities may justify war."
- "Opponents of the just war theory may either be inclined to a stricter pacifist standard or they may be inclined toward a more permissive nationalist standard."
- "The historical aspect, or the 'just war tradition,' deals with the historical body of rules or agreements that have applied in various wars across the ages."
- "The just war tradition also considers the writings of various philosophers and lawyers through history."
- "It examines both their philosophical visions of war's ethical limits and whether their thoughts have contributed to the body of conventions that have evolved to guide war and warfare."
- "In the twenty-first century, there has been significant debate between traditional just war theorists, who largely support the existing law of war and develop arguments to support it, and revisionists who reject many traditional assumptions."
- "Philosophers state that individuals do not need to be plagued by a guilty conscience if they are required to fight."
- "A few philosophers ennoble the virtues of the soldier while they also declare their apprehensions for war itself."
- "A few, such as Rousseau, argue for insurrection against oppressive rule."
- "Traditional just war theorists, who largely support the existing law of war and develop arguments to support it."
- "Revisionists who reject many traditional assumptions."
- "Jus ad bellum focuses on the morality of going to war, while jus in bello concerns the moral conduct within war."
- "The third category, jus post bellum, deals with the morality of post-war settlement and reconstruction."