Philosophers on War

War changes lives forever in ways unthinkable and the scars of war are personal, social, and cultural. Though often attributed to Plato, it was philosopher George Santayana (1863 1952) who astutely declared: Only the dead have seen the end of war. Some may dispute the originality of the words, but few would deny their veracity. Throughout the history of the West secular and religious thinkers have studied the problem of war. This volume seeks to provide an overview of the thought of some leading minds that have shaped ideas on war, peace, and justice. Among the individuals studied are: Socrates Thomas Hobbes Plato Immanuel Kant Aristotle John Rawls Marcus Aurelius Michael Foucault Augustine Michael Walzer Thomas Aquinas Jean Bethke Elshtain