Jon Quong on Self-Defense

Oct 3, 2012

What conditions make it permissible for one person to kill another? And what does it mean if the theories that we've used as the basis of war turn out to be wrong? Here's Jon Quong of the University of Manchester.

Today on Public Ethics Radio we're returning to one of our favorite themes: self-defense and the ethics of war. With Jon Quong of the University of Manchester, we're going to ask the question, what conditions make it permissible for one person to kill another? And what does it mean if the theories that we've used as the basis of war turn out to be wrong?

For the full text, please download the PDF below.

You may also like

CREDIT: IMDB/Warner Bros. Pictures.

MAR 10, 2026 Article

Ethics on Film: Discussion of "One Battle After Another"

This review of Paul Thomas Anderson's Oscar-nominated "One Battle After Another" discusses gender roles, white supremacy, and the motivations of revolutionaries.

MAR 2, 2026 Podcast

Amoral American Power, with Professor Matias Spektor

From Caracas to Tehran, U.S. power is no longer justified through a narrative of liberal internationalism. Matias Spektor examines the consequences of this shift.

FEB 25, 2026 Video

Why Space Matters and How to Govern It

Watch this "Ethics Empowered" event, in which an expert panel grapples with ethical questions on governance, militarization, and emerging technology in space.

Not translated

This content has not yet been translated into your language. You can request a translation by clicking the button below.

Request Translation