Pacifism as a Perspective: On the Inevitable Entanglement of Facts and Values 1

Pacifists and their opponents disagree not only about moral questions, but most often about factual questions as well (as is illustrated by the controversy surrounding the crisis in Kosovo in 1999). According to my reconstruction of pacifism, this is not surprising, since the pacifist, legitimately,...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Studies in Christian ethics 2018-05, Vol.31 (2), p.201-213
Main Author: Müller, Olaf L.
Format: Article
Language:English
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:Pacifists and their opponents disagree not only about moral questions, but most often about factual questions as well (as is illustrated by the controversy surrounding the crisis in Kosovo in 1999). According to my reconstruction of pacifism, this is not surprising, since the pacifist, legitimately, looks at the facts in the light of her system of values. Her opponent, in turn, looks at the facts in the light of an alternative value system. And the quarrel between the two parties about supposedly descriptive matters never ceases, as there is no objective reality that could settle the issue. The pacifist’s value-laden perspective on reality is informed by Christian charity and humility: a specific mixture of optimism (about human nature) and pessimism (about human powers).
ISSN:0953-9468
1745-5235
DOI:10.1177/0953946817749898