logo
episode-header-image
Sep 26
36m 49s

Elizabeth Anscombe - War and Murder

CatholicCulture.org
About this episode

"Two attitudes are possible: one, that the world is an absolute jungle and that the exercise of coercive power by rulers is only a manifestation of this; and the other, that it is both necessary and right that there should be this exercise of power, that through it the world is much less of a jungle than it could possibly be without it, so that one should in principle be glad of the existence of such power, and only take exception to its unjust exercise."

Elizabeth Anscombe was a prominent 20th-century British philosopher, known for her influential work in ethics and her deep commitment to Catholic doctrine. In her essay ‘War and Murder,’ Anscombe considers the morality of violent coercive power, critiques the influence of pacifist ideology, and defends the moral prohibition against killing the innocent -- grounding her arguments in the principle of double effect and its crucial distinction between intended and foreseen consequences.

Read “War and Murder” https://www.cs.ucdavis.edu/~rogaway/classes/188/spring06/papers/anscombeWarAndMurder.pdf

SIGN UP for Catholic Culture's newsletter http://www.catholicculture.org/newsletter

DONATE at http://www.catholicculture.org/donate/audio

Theme music: "2 Part Invention", composed by Mark Christopher Brandt, performed by Thomas Mirus. ©️2019 Heart of the Lion Publishing Co./BMI. All rights reserved.

Up next
Oct 31
St. John Henry Newman - The Oxford Sermons | 4. The Usurpations of Reason
"Human philosophy was beaten from its usurped province, but not by any counter-philosophy; and unlearned Faith, establishing itself by its own inherent strength, ruled the Reason as far as its own interests were concerned, and from that time has employed it in the Church, first a ... Show More
34m 11s
Sep 12
Christian Raab, OSB - In Search of the Masculine Genius
"When attention to the theological meaning of femininity is not accompanied by reflection on masculinity, men are left without a sense of the existential and sacramental significance of their own sex." A reading of a fascinating essay originally published in the journal Logos, ab ... Show More
1h 6m
Aug 29
Soul of the Apostolate | Ep. 3 - Without Interior Life, Active Life Full of Danger
"These falls can be MOST CERTAINLY avoided when one knows how to use the precious balancing pole of the interior life. It is only the abandonment of this INFALLIBLE instrument that brings dizziness and the fatal false step into space." Part Three of this classic work by the Frenc ... Show More
1h 19m
Recommended Episodes
Jul 2024
The Church and Modern Science | Prof. Christopher Baglow
This lecture was given on May 7th, 2024, at University of California, San Diego. For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-events About the Speaker: Dr. Baglow is Professor of the Practice of Theology and the Director of the Science and ... Show More
1 h
Apr 2025
Learning to Love the Catechism with Fr. Mike Schmitz (Part 1)
The Catechism of the Catholic Church is so much more than a reference book. In this special edition of All Things Catholic Fr. Mike Schmitz joins Dr. Sri at the SEEK 25 conference to discuss the significance of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. They discuss how the Catechism ... Show More
22m 6s
Aug 2024
Human Sinfulness and the Study of the Past w/ Fr. Gregory Pine, O.P. & Prof. Brad Gregory
Join Fr. Gregory Pine, O.P. of Aquinas 101, Godsplaining, and Pints with Aquinas for an off-campus conversation with Prof. Brad Gregory about intellectual genealogy, what virtues are needed for historians, the unintended consequences of the Reformation, and the theological implic ... Show More
53m 45s
Oct 2024
The Occult, Vatican Secrets, and The Mysticism of Pope St John Paul II (Jason Evert) | Ep. 491
<p>Jason Evert is a renowned Catholic author and speaker, best known for his work promoting chastity among teens and young adults. He is the co-founder of the Chastity Project and Totus Tuus Press. With a Master's degree in Theology from Franciscan University of Steubenville, Eve ... Show More
3h 14m
Mar 2025
The Miraculous Proof of Catholicism is Undeniable (Fr. Seraphim Baalbaki, C.F.R.) | Ep.516
<p>Fr. Seraphim Baalbaki, C.F.R. is a member of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal. He earned a B.A. in Computer Science and Mathematics from Cornell University, an M.A. in Theology from the Franciscan University of Steubenville, and an M.A. in Catholic Philosophical Studies fr ... Show More
3h 5m
Jul 2024
The Spiritual Consequences of the Acceptance of Heresy
<p>Fr. Johannes Jacobse&apos;s lecture from the conference: &quot;On the Eighth Œcumenical Council: The Catholic Condemnation of the Filioque&quot; that took place on March 14 - 16th, 2024 in Lake Guntersville, AL.<br/><br/><b>Re-watch all the conference lectures here:</b><br/>👉 ... Show More
1 h
Jan 2020
Is Belief in God Rational? Aquinas on Skepticism and Theological Knowledge | Prof. Joshua Hochschild
This event was given at Rutgers University on December 3, 2019. For more events and info please visit thomisticinstitute.org/events-1. Joshua Hochschild is the Monsignor Robert R. Kline Professor of Philosophy at Mount St. Mary’s University, where he also served six years as the ... Show More
1 h
Nov 2024
The Church Today, The 7 Deadly Sins, & Healing Spiritual Wounds (Fr. Boniface Hicks) | Ep. 497
<p>Fr. Boniface Hicks, OSB, is a Benedictine monk and priest known for his spiritual direction, authorship, and media contributions. Serving as the Director of Spiritual Formation at Saint Vincent Seminary and Program Director for WAOB Catholic Radio, his books like "Through the ... Show More
2h 12m
Feb 2025
Day 50: The Dignity of Man (2025)
“God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him, male and female he created them” (Genesis 1:27). The Catechism teaches us about man’s God-given dignity and unique place in creation. Fr. Mike explains the unity that exists between all persons, and how this n ... Show More
16m 29s
Mar 2025
Day 61: The Name of Jesus (2025)
Together with Fr. Mike, we examine the name above every other name: Jesus Christ. We explore the importance of this name and our reverence for it. Fr. Mike emphasizes that Christians, unlike those practicing other religions, tend to use the name of our Father in heaven “in vain.” ... Show More
16m 26s