Who Is A Soldier Refuse An Illegal Or Unjust Order

Soldiers take on the role of Soldiers and accept certain norms or obedience to authority, and many in the lower ranks take the position that obeying orders are a part of their duties that must be carried out, without question. There are instances when Soldiers must face virtues such as courage, which would be a principal virtue of any Soldier. One moral dilemma and a question that may arise, is should a Soldier refuse an illegal or unjust order given by his/her superiors? Some Soldiers pursuant to the dictates of their consciences, refuse to follow orders that are in direct conflict to their virtues and what may be possible illegal or unjust based on their ethical merit. There are Soldiers who would follow orders without culpability regardless if the outcome would have been beneficial or otherwise. One must remember that there are serious risk and consequences when Soldiers choose not to follow orders of their superiors and it rests on a Soldier’s understanding of what is illegal or unjust and immoral or moral. Kant is responsible for the most prominent and well-known form of deontological ethics. Kant’s moral theory is based on his view of the human being as having the unique capacity for rationality. Mitcham states that, â€Å"deontologists focus on the rightness of an act and not on what results from the act. Right action may end up being pleasant or unpleasant for the agent, may meet with approval or condemnation from others, and may produce pleasure, riches,Show MoreRelated The My Lai Massacre Essay2713 Words   |  11 Pagesinstructions for the soldiers were. Even with these contradictions the results are obvious. The question that must be posed is whether these results make the American soldiers involved that day â€Å"guilty†. 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