Permissible Killing: The Self-Defence Justification of Homicide (Cambridge Studies in Philosophy and Law)

Product Description

Do individuals have a positive right of self-defense? And if so, what are the limits of this right? Under what conditions, if any, does this use of force extend to the defense of others? These are some of the issues explored by Dr. Uniacke in this comprehensive philosophical discussion of the principles relevant to self-defense as a moral and legal justification for homicide. This is a lucid and sophisticated account of the complex notion of justification, revolving around a critical discussion of recent trends in the law of self-defense.

Review

“One of the refreshing elements that U[niacke] employs is her systematic reexamination of hypotheticals from both objective and subjective perspectives. Her appreciation of the tension that exists between the two presents insights into subtleties that should be carefully considered prior to determining whether a particular homicide is justifiable or not inder the theory of self-defense.” Theological Studies

“Uniacke shows that the justification of homicidal self-defense is not straightforward and thereby makes a salient and unarguable contribution to the discussion of ethical homicide.” T.A. Cavanaugh, Review of Metaphysics

“Suzanne Uniacke has written an adventurous and philosophically elegant work in which she justifies the intentional use of necessary and proportionate lethal force in private homicidal self-defense. Her contribution will interest those engaged in discussions concerning the ethics of homicide.” T. A. Cavanaugh, Review of Metaphysics

“Permissible Killing is a good contribution to a full account of self-defence….Permissible Killing discusses many important philosophical aspects of self-defence. It will be most useful to researchers in practical ethics….” Wayne N. Renke, Canadian Philosophical Reviews

“Suzanne Uniacke aims at providing a justification of homicide in self-defense by establishing the existence of a (conditioned) right of self-defense.” Phillip Montague, International Studies in Philosophy

Book Description

Philosophical discussion of the principles relevant to self-defence as a moral and legal justification of homicide.

From the Back Cover

Do individuals have a positive right of self-defence? And if so, what are the limits of this right? Under what conditions, if any, does this use of force extend to the defence of others? These are some of the issues explored by Dr Uniacke in this comprehensive philosophical discussion of the principles relevant to self-defence as a moral and legal justification of homicide. She establishes a unitary right of self-defence and defence of others, one which grounds the permissibility of the use of necessary and proportionate defensive force against culpable and non-culpable, active and passive, unjust threats. Particular topics discussed include: the nature of moral and legal justification and excuse; natural law justifications of homicide in self-defence; the Principle of Double Effect and the claim that homicide in self-defence is justified as unintended killing; and the question of self-preferential killing. This is a lucid and sophisticated account of the complex notion of justification, revolving around a critical discussion of recent trends in the law of self-defence.