Terrorism: A Philosophical Investigation

by Igor Primoratz

This is the first comprehensive study of the core philosophical questions posed by terrorism such How should we define it? Is it morally distinctive? Can it be morally justified?

Igor Primoratz seeks to overcome relativism and double standards that often plague debates about terrorism. He investigates the main ethical approaches to in terms of its consequences, rights and justice, “supreme emergency,” and the collective responsibility of citizens. The book provides a rigorous, yet accessible analysis of a range of moral positions, from the acceptance of terrorism when its consequences are good on balance to its absolute rejection. Primoratz argues that terrorism is almost absolutely wrong. It may be morally justified only when an entire people is facing a true moral disaster, and this should be understood in a highly restrictive way.
Conceptual analysis and normative arguments about the practice of terrorism are complemented with case studies of terror-bombing of German cities in World War II and the role of terrorism in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

A Philosophical Investigation  will be essential reading for researchers and students of philosophy and politics, and the general reader seeking to understand and evaluate acts and campaigns of terrorism.

Genres: Philosophy, Politics

224 pages, Hardcover

First published December 10, 2012

Reviews

[Michael Griswold · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've taken several terrorism and national security courses as an undergraduate and graduate student, so I'm used to terrorism as a more concrete phenomenon in that we have an attack and we seek to decipher the means and motivations of whoever carries out the attack.

That's why Terrorism A Philosophical Introduction by Igor Primoratz caught my eye because its rooted in the abstract principles of philosophy to ask whether terrorist acts have a moral foundation that can justify them.

What I really liked about Primoratz analysis is that unlike many philosophical texts, it reads like something a reasonably educated person can read it without having devoured the texts of humanities greatest philosophers. A second major selling point is that the author uses two cases: the Allied bombing of Germany and the use of terrorism in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

These cases help illustrate the main point of the work that terrorism cannot be morally justified. The case studies add depth to the argument as opposed to pages upon pages of moral argumentation that usually ground most philosophical work.

[Jack · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good coverage of the topic