In this online lecture and discussion, Mostafa Malekian addresses the relationship between the ethics of nonviolence and the ethics of legitimate defense. The central question is whether refraining from violence is always a moral duty, or whether defending oneself and others can be morally justified in certain situations.
This video is an online lecture and discussion by Mostafa Malekian on the topic of "The Ethics of Nonviolence and the Ethics of Legitimate Defense," organized by the Besat Ethics Association on January 6, 2023. The subject of the discussion lies at the intersection of moral philosophy, practical ethics, and the problem of violence.
The main focus of the lecture is an examination of the tension between two important moral concerns: on one hand, the ideal of nonviolence and the reduction of suffering and harm; and on the other, the possibility or necessity of legitimate defense against aggression, injustice, or threat. This question is significant at the individual, social, and political levels, because people sometimes find themselves in situations where both renouncing violence and taking defensive action carry serious moral consequences.
In such a discussion, Malekian typically examines the issue from the perspective of conceptual precision, moral differentiation, and the assessment of consequences: what is violence, what are the conditions for legitimate defense, where is the boundary between revenge and defense, and how can one strike a balance between human dignity, the reduction of suffering, and moral responsibility toward oneself and others.
The importance of this video lies in its transformation of one of the most difficult moral problems into a clear and discussable question. This discussion is suitable for audiences interested in moral philosophy, nonviolence, justice, legitimate defense, moral responsibility, and the relationship between ethics and politics.
