Killing in the Name of…Justice

This chapter explores both the historical and present role that morality has played in both preventing and promoting violence. The case I present for morality being a net contributor to violence will be split into two main parts. In the first I discuss the ways in which morality has promoted small-scale violence, which includes violence among individuals and smaller groups. In the second I discuss how morality has been an instigator of large-scale violence, including war and genocide. Regarding both types of violence, I argue that the evidence suggests that the role morality plays in inhibiting violence is outweighed by its tendency to cause violence.