Morals under the Gun

The Cardinal Virtues, Military Ethics, and American Society

James H. Toner

• Publisher: The University Press of Kentucky
• Year: 2021
• ISBN:
  9780813184258
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: Military & Maritime History
• Index: History

James Toner argues that the cardinal virtues are and must be the core values of the military. By embracing these values, the profession of arms serves as a moral compass in an increasingly confusing age. Building upon a bold introduction, which includes what many will regard as a surprising view of military ethics, Toner examines the four cardinal virtues—wisdom, courage, temperance, and justice—and places each in the context of a compelling case study from recent U.S. military history.

He discusses the Flinn Case, the Lavelle Affair, a B-52 crash in Washington State, and the courageous actions of Hugh Thompson after My Lai. Morals Under the Gun connects ethics and moral theology with the armed services, demonstrating that the task of preserving virtue, both personal and professional, is a noble, if imperfectible, task.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half title
• Title
• Copyright
• Dedication
• Contents
• Preface
• 1 The Necessary Immorality of the Military Profession
• 2 A New Beginning
• 3 Morals under the Gun
• 4 Moral Reasoning and the Cardinal Virtues
• 5 Prudence and the Profession of Arms
• 6 Justice and the Profession of Arms
• Interlude: Obiter Dicta
• 7 Courage and the Profession of Arms
• 8 Temperance and the Profession of Arms
• 9 Character and the Profession of Arms
• Epilogue
• Notes
• Select Bibliography
• Index