This course utilises a selection of the core material from the foundation phase of the full 18-module Key Concepts in Military Ethics, which was designed to provide a blended learning resource for military institutions to cover the whole range of areas touched on by the subject, from civil military relations, and the Just War Tradition, through to the ethical implications of new and emerging military technologies.
This condensed course is focused on ethical decision-making and begins by exploring the relationship between morality and ethics, before introducing a number of ethical decision-making theories or "tools". The strengths and weaknesses of each will be examined when it comes to navigating the challenges that can arise in a military context, before we introduce the idea of "Ethical Triangulation" - a process by which one can reach the best (or least worse) outcome in any situation.
Dr David Whetham is Professor of Ethics and the Military Profession at King’s College London, based at the Joint Services Command and Staff College at the UK Defence Academy. He is also the Director of the King’s Centre for Military Ethics.
Dr Deane-Peter Baker is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at UNSW Canberra (at the Australian Defence Force Academy), where he is also a researcher in the Australian Centre for the Study of Armed Conflict and Society.
What is "Military Ethics", and how does one determine what the right thing to do actually is?
This session explores the role of character in ethical decision-making
This session we will focus on putting the different tools together from the foundation in a way that can help you make the most appropriate ethical decision
