DESCRIPTION: The author of this article is Professor Michael Walzer (b. 1935), an American philosopher currently Professor Emeritus at the Institute for Advanced Study (IAS) in Princeton, New Jersey. Walzer is the author of books on a wide range of topics, including the origins of just and unjust wars, nationalism, ethnic groups, social justice, critiques of social models, radicalism, tolerance and political engagement, including Just and Unjust Wars.Reflections of a moral nature with historical examples (PWN Scientific Publishers, 2010 [Just and Unjust Wars, Basic Books, 1977]). In 2015, Walzer was a special guest at an international academic conference entitled. 'The Theory of Just War. Behind the Jurisprudential Defense of (Abstaining from) Military Action', which took place at Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski University in Warsaw and was organised by the Faculty of Christian Philosophy of UKSW, the Faculty of Law and Administration of UKSW, the International Centre for Intercultural and Interreligious Dialogue of UKSW and Lazarski University in Warsaw. In this article, the author discusses the arguments of Paweł Włodkowic, a 15th century Polish philosopher/theologian, regarding ethically justified wars (ius ad bellum). The author argues in favour of Wlodkowic's claim that natural reason sets limits for justifiable armed actions and, in particular, prohibits the initiation of holy wars such as the Crusades of the Teutonic Order, thus also excluding wars waged by modern jihadist fighters. It also prohibits military operations supported by militant advocates of secular ideologies. "As I pointed out above, criticism of autocratic and oligarchic regimes is perfectly legitimate, perhaps even necessary. Should the representatives of such regimes be demanded to allow critics of their own governments to come to their countries - just as, according to Wlodkowic, pagan rulers should be demanded to allow the preaching of the Gospel in their countries? Does censorship or suppression of criticism justify war? I want to make it clear that they do not, and I believe that the same answer should be given to a related question: does the harassment or persecution of local democrats - that is, events occurring in many authoritarian regimes - justify the invasion of the Knights of Democracy? Again, the answer should be no. Claims of this kind have too often been the pretext for imperial wars. Ordinary (‘peaceful’) authoritarianism should be opposed ideologically, politically, diplomatically - but not militarily. For death and destruction are the results of military action, which are far more likely than the establishment of democracy in a country" (p. 38). The article was translated into Polish by Dr Adam Cebula.
SUMMARY: Introduction. 2. Revisiting the holy war debate. 3. The arguments of the participants in the holy war. 4. The (religious) defence of natural reason. 5. Against the proponents of secular crusades.
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Język Polski