Just War Theory
Just War Theory is the ethical convention devised to ensure that war is started only when it is most necessary and to set the limits to warfare. The theory consists of three essential parts: Jus Ad Bellum (principles of justice of war), Jus In Bello (rules of the right conduct during warfare), and Jus Post Bellum (responsibilities of warring nations after war). According to Jus Ad Bellum, war is just only when (1) it has a just cause, (2) it is the last resort, (3) it is declared by a proper authority, (4) it has the right intention, (5) it has reasonable chances for success, and (6) its ends are proportional to the means used (Moseley, 2016). This theory is based on both consequentialist and non-consequentialist reasoning. The principles encompass the elements of both approaches because they are both result-oriented and at the same time are critical about the intrinsic moral value of the act.
Sentience is a capacity to experience positive or negative awareness (Wilson, 2016). It strongly affects the ethical frameworks under which the moral status of the animals is judged. If a being is sentient, then it is a subject for a direct moral status, meaning that it has its own rights, and its interests should be accounted for. Sentience does not imply that animals should be assigned with the same rights as humans because animals are not self-conscious, autonomous, and cannot act morally. But their interests should be dealt with when making decisions. Sentient beings cannot be directly harmed except for some greater reason and should be treated accordingly. The first implication of such theory is that the practices of treating home held animals should be reconsidered. Secondly, painful experiments on the animals should be prohibited. And thirdly, the practices in growing animals for food would also be reconsidered as the consequence of their direct moral status.
References
Moseley, A. (2016). Just War Theory. Iep.utm.edu. Retrieved 28 April 2016, from http://www.iep.utm.edu/justwar/#H2
Wilson, S. (2016). Animals and Ethics. Iep.utm.edu. Retrieved 28 April 2016, from http://www.iep.utm.edu/anim-eth/#H2
