Philosophers' Café: Russia's War in Ukraine

The Philosophers' Café is a public forum in which community members discuss interesting contemporary issues in a relaxed and informal setting. Our next meeting is April 24, 7pm, at Brewery N├©nic. The topic is "Russia's War in Ukraine" and will be moderated by Dr. Heather Fielding (English, UW-Eau Claire). Here is the abstract:

"This session considers ethical questions related to Russia's current war in Ukraine. While the fact that the war was an unprovoked gesture of imperial aggression is not in question, the broader situation poses many ethical challenges for Ukraine, for Russians, and more broadly for the international community. What is the ethical responsibility of other nations--how far should other democracies go toward defending Ukraine, which is a democracy defending itself from a strong authoritarian neighbor? Other nations could save Ukrainian lives by stepping in, at the risk of provoking a wider conflict—how are allies negotiating this situation, and are they making the right decision? Other ethical questions are posed for Russians—what is the responsibility of Russian citizens to stand up for peace when they live in an authoritarian state and risk their lives in doing so? What responsibility do international businesses bear that continue to function in Russia, or that enable the Russian state or individual wealthy Russians? Within Ukraine, what are the ethics of preventing men between the ages of 18 and 60 from leaving the country, and what rights should be afforded to conscientious objectors. Should Ukraine agree to give up territory in order to stop the war?"

Join us for some fun discussion! Everyone is welcome!

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