this post was submitted on 27 May 2024
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[–] FlowVoid@lemmy.world 0 points 5 months ago (1 children)

As I said, I think the vast majority of people who have lost a child do not ever want to debate whether the death was justified. Furthermore plenty of other people - Palestinian or otherwise - do not want to engage in a debate over Israel.

I have no idea how many people in the rest of the world agree with Israel, and it doesn't matter to me at all. I don't think it affects whether they are justified. There are plenty of things that are not justified even though they are very popular, and vice versa.

[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 1 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Sorry... you think moral justification does not depend on what the majority considers to be morally justified?

Where does it come from, your god?

[–] FlowVoid@lemmy.world 0 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Morality usually comes from some sort of first principles. Some are religiously inspired, but I think it's much better to start with one or more moral philosophers.

If we simply put it to a vote, then we would likely conclude that slavery was moral in the 18th century.

[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 2 points 5 months ago (2 children)

Which moral philosopher says that it's justified to kill thousands of children to achieve military goals?

[–] livus@kbin.social 2 points 5 months ago

Pol Pot springs to mind...

[–] FlowVoid@lemmy.world -1 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Plenty, going back at least as far as Augustine to modern writers like Michael Walzer.

[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 2 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Feel free to quote one of them saying so.

[–] FlowVoid@lemmy.world -1 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (1 children)

Philosophers rarely give good soundbites.

If you are actually interested in a summary of Just War theory and its critics, you can find one here.

[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 1 points 5 months ago (1 children)

A quick search shows that children are not mentioned.

[–] FlowVoid@lemmy.world 0 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Children are noncombatants, try searching for that.

[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 2 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (1 children)

How about you tell me where to look since I'm not your research arm?

And, again, I asked you about children. The fact that you keep pretending I'm not just indicates you're discussing this in bad faith.

[–] FlowVoid@lemmy.world -1 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (1 children)

Justifying the death of civilians implies justifying the death of children, because children are a subgroup of civilians.

Likewise, the ICC bans "intentionally directing attacks against civilians". They do not specify children. Do you suppose that means directing attacks against children is legal according to the ICC? Of course not, because children are a subgroup of civilians.

Finally, I am not your research arm either. You asked me the names of relevant philosophers, I provided them. If you have follow-up questions about their ideas then I applaud your curiousity but you should probably just read what they wrote.

[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 2 points 5 months ago (1 children)

I know you want to pretend that children are not a special class, but there's a reason we treat children differently from adults and the reason that I am specifically talking about then since you are saying their deaths are justifiable.

[–] FlowVoid@lemmy.world -1 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (1 children)

The death of children is not treated as a special case by the ICC or Geneva conventions. If they are nevertheless protected, then it's not necessary to treat them as a special case.

I understand that you prefer to treat them as a special case, but I don't understand why you expect everyone else to share your preference.

[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 2 points 5 months ago (1 children)

You need to decide whether you're talking about philosophy or law, because you keep bouncing back and forth between the two.

Another way you are not here in good faith.

[–] FlowVoid@lemmy.world -2 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (1 children)

They heavily overlap.

If you look at that link, you'll find that many of the philosophical concepts ("proportionality", immorality of directly targeting civilians) are codified into law and enforced by the ICC.

Which makes sense, the Geneva conventions were written precisely because laws at the time did not cover wartime actions that were viewed as highly immoral.

[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 3 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Sure. Medicine and electronics also heavily overlap. They're in no way the same thing.

Now are you going to actually show a philosopher saying that it is justified to kill thousands of children in order to achieve a military objective or are you going to be honest and admit that no such philosopher, at least not one that is in any way widely-respected, would ever suggest such a disgusting idea?

[–] FlowVoid@lemmy.world -2 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (1 children)
  • Philosophers have justified killing civilians in order to achieve a military objective.

  • Children are civilians.

  • Therefore, philosophers have justified killing children in order to achieve a military objective.

By your logic, if the Geneva conventions do not mention "Palestinians" then they do not protect Palestinians.

[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 2 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Philosophers have justified killing civilians in order to achieve a military objective.

You have yet to show a single philosopher who has justified in killing an unlimited number of civilians to achieve a military objective. All you have said is that it wouldn't be allowed for that to happen. Which doesn't mean it isn't justified.

Can you even show a philosopher who agrees with your upper limit cap on civilian deaths you put up earlier? Don't tell me to do the research myself, don't give me the law, quote the philosopher specifically advocating your upper limit cap.

Or just admit you were being dishonest. Either one.

[–] FlowVoid@lemmy.world -1 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (1 children)

You have yet to show a single philosopher who has justified in killing an unlimited number of civilians

And I don't think I ever will. As I said earlier, "There is no military goal that justifies killing "any amount" of civilians. All of them have limits, which are based on military capabilities."

Can you even show a philosopher who agrees with your upper limit cap on civilian deaths

I never provided an upper limit cap.

I said "we would consider 15,000 to 75,000 civilian deaths to be normal at this point."

Normal, as in "typical". Which is not the same as acceptable, it depends on whether you believe a "normal" war is acceptable.

As I suggested earlier, it's quite reasonable to take the pacifist position that even "normal" wars are not acceptable.

[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 2 points 5 months ago (1 children)

And I don’t think I ever will. As I said earlier, “There is no military goal that justifies killing “any amount” of civilians. All of them have limits, which are based on military capabilities.”

Israel's goal is to destroy Hamas. Every time they kill innocent children, they create more members of Hamas. Therefore, their goal is any amount of children including 100% of them.

Sorry, I'm not going to stop making this about children just because you don't want it to be.

So when do you think they should stop killing children before it is no longer justified?

[–] FlowVoid@lemmy.world -2 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (1 children)

Israel's goal is to destroy Hamas. Every time they kill innocent children, they create more members of Hamas. Therefore, their goal is any amount of children including 100% of them.

Destroying Hamas means destroying the current leadership, so it can no longer function.

It's true that Israel is running the risk of inciting hatred and creating more fighters, but those future fighters won't be in Hamas. They will be in some other organization that replaces Hamas, just like Hamas replaced Fatah.

[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 2 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Destroying Hamas means destroying the leadership, so it can no longer function.

Where is that claimed? Or is that just your opinion?

[–] FlowVoid@lemmy.world -1 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (1 children)

These were Netanyahu's goals in October:

destruction of Hamas’s military and governing capabilities; and returning the hostages home

And these are Netanyahu's current goals:

Seizing the Rafah Crossing is a very significant step towards destroying the remaining military capabilities of Hamas, including the elimination of the four terrorist battalions in Rafah, and an important step to damage the governmental capabilities of Hamas

[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 2 points 5 months ago (1 children)

You mean his goals keep changing? Hmm... seems like a constantly changing military objective would allow you to kill an unlimited number of children justifiably based on your reasoning.

[–] FlowVoid@lemmy.world -2 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (1 children)

In October, he said he wanted

  1. destruction of Hamas’s military
  2. and governing capabilities;
  3. and returning the hostages home

Today, he says the Rafah operation is a significant step towards

  1. destroying the remaining military capabilities of Hamas, including the elimination of the four terrorist battalions in Rafah,
  2. and an important step to damage the governmental capabilities of Hamas

The first two goals look unchanged.

There is no mention of hostages in my quote. Maybe he isn't interested in that any more, but it's entirely possible he mentioned it elsewhere and I didn't see it.

[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 2 points 5 months ago (1 children)

destruction of Hamas’s military

You mean the military that grows every time a child is killed. So this never ends and children never stop being killed.

[–] FlowVoid@lemmy.world -2 points 5 months ago (1 children)

No, Hamas forces are steadily getting smaller. If there are new recruits, they are not enough to make up for the losses.

[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 2 points 5 months ago (1 children)

If you won't even acknowledge what even The Jerusalem Post acknowledges, I can't help you. You're clearly not living in the real world.

https://www.jpost.com/israel-hamas-war/article-783159

[–] FlowVoid@lemmy.world -1 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (1 children)

No, Hamas forces are steadily getting smaller. If there are new recruits, they are not enough to make up for the losses.

Your link:

Hamas may have lost half its battalion commanders by December, while half its battalions had been broken down as well.

The article suggests that they can recruit in the future, and maybe they can. Or maybe Palestinian militants will join a different organization, as I suggested.

But for now, Hamas is definitely smaller than they were in October.

[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 2 points 5 months ago (1 children)

You either did not read the whole article or are dishonestly taking that line out of context.

But for now, they are smaller than they were in October.

This is also dishonest because we are not talking about "for now," we are talking about how this war will end, if it ever does.

You clearly have an honesty problem and I don't see why I should continue this discussion further.

[–] FlowVoid@lemmy.world -1 points 5 months ago (1 children)

You said the Hamas military is growing. It isn't.

You showed me an article that speculates about how it might grow in the future, but that doesn't mean it's growing now. It doesn't even mean it will grow in the future. It's just speculation.

As for how this war will end: I don't know and neither do you. You seem to think that Israel will kill 100% of Palestinian children but I don't believe that will happen.

[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 1 points 5 months ago (1 children)

You showed me an article that speculates about how it might grow in the future

Which is what we are obviously talking about when talking about reaching a military objective.

I am tired of your blatant dishonesty. This has all been about justifying Israeli genocide and I wish you had just been honest about that from the start.

Goodbye.

[–] FlowVoid@lemmy.world -1 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (1 children)

Which is what we are obviously talking about when talking about reaching a military objective.

Are you suggesting that Israel cannot achieve its military objective?

Maybe so, but that does not mean that they intend to "kill all children" (or that doing so would be justified), despite your assertions.

[–] Hamartia@lemmy.world 1 points 5 months ago

I have been trying to follow this discussion, but this is taking it a bit too far...

Would it be rude to suggest a ceasefire?