SUMMARY OF EVENT.pdf

7/29/2019 SUMMARY OF EVENT.pdf

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SUMMARY OF EVENTOn May 1, 2011, Operation Neptune Spear, the mission to kill Osama Bin Laden,

the worlds most wanted terrorist took place in Abbottabad, Pakistan. In August 2010,

the compound in which Bin Laden was suspected to be hiding was placed under

surveillance. Satellites were used to watch over the house, then unmanned drones, and

finally a local Pakistani spy. They got information that there was a man in the house

who did not have to do any of the chores in the house. They also found out that there

were women and children in the house, possibly Bin Ladens family. Soon, there was

enough evidence to claim that Osama was indeed hiding in the said compound. 79

Navy SEALs plus a dog were sent to perform the mission at midnight. One of their 4

helicopters crashed, but the troops were all safe and they proceeded to do their

mission.

In the compound, the troops encountered and killed 2 men and a woman while

they tied up all other women and children. At the 2nd

floor, they killed Bin Ladens son.

At the 3rd

floor, they saw Bin Laden looking at them. For the first time, they got

confirmation that Bin Laden was indeed in the house. Bin Laden returned to his

bedroom. 2 other SEALs went after Bin Laden and his wife. One of those SEALs shot

the wife while the other fired at Bin Laden twice. Bin Laden was killed without him being

able to use his AK-47 and pistol in the room.

This paper will look at the morality of a SEALs decision to take part on such an

operation. There are various ways in looking at this objective. For this paper, deciding to

take part on such an operation tantamount to being a Navy SEAL, that is, doing their


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duties as a Navy SEAL because missions are orders. They are not given choices.

Specifically, this paper seeks to answer the following questions: (1) using Aristotles

doctrine, is being a Navy SEAL Team 6 member morally good or morally bad? (2) Using

Thomas Aquainas doctrine, is being a Navy SEAL Team 6 member morally good or

morally bad?

IS THE ACT MORALLY GOOD OR BAD? (ARISTOTLES DOCTRINE)

Aristotles rationalist and teleological moral doctrine tells us that living well is the

purpose of man and that his rationality should dictate his behavior in the direction of

adhering to this purpose. Man has a soul and this soul has both irrationality and

rationality. The relationship between the two is that the human soul s rationality should

control its irrationality. Man is more inclined to being irrational but he has the potential to

be rational. Man is more inclined to being irrational because of his passions. His

rationality regulates his passions so that he does not engage in his passions too much

or too little. His rationality guides him to engage in his passions at an average

magnitude. Man must discover the proper meaning of excess and defect and thereby

discover the appropriate mean (Hermida, 27). This act of engaging our passions in an

average manner is called virtue. Vice is the extreme. Virtue is the mean. Being

virtuous is to act as one should, when one should, to whom one should, to the extent

one should and for the reasons one should (Hermida, 28). Being virtuous is living well.

This is human excellence. .

The challenge is to use our rationality in regulating our irrationality. This is best

done by developing the habits of right thinking, right choice and right behavior. The


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training1 of these Navy SEALS is designed to develop these habits. They are made to

endure extremely strenuous physical conditions using only their physical, mental and

emotional capabilities.

The usual issue surrounding the morality of being a Navy SEAL is that their duty

has them inflicting pain. Let us have a closer look at this dimension of their duty 2. Their

primary aim is not to inflict pain. Inflicting pain just comes with what they have to do-

defend their nation. In general, the military do not carry weapons to inflict pain. They

carry their weapons in preparation for any attacks on their nation. This is really the main

difference between a terrorist carrying a gun from a military-man carrying a gun. The

terrorist carries it to hurt. The military-man carries it to defend. Navy SEALs go through

such rigorous training so that they are able to defend their people in the best way

possible. A Navy SEAL who achieves the best physical, emotional and mental state and

also who carries his weapon around should not be feared. When one sees them, one

should feel protected from harm. A Navy SEAL who achieves the best physical,

emotional and mental and also who carries his weapon around is a man of virtue. And

this is the kind of man that Aristotle argues us all to be like. Following the order to go

and assault that compound housing the most wanted terrorist shows how much of a

virtuous man he is because, he is being the Navy SEAL that he should be. He is being a

man who protects his people in the best way possible. Therefore, according to

Aristotles doctrine, being part of that team is a morally good act because he follows

orders and these are orders that requires the best physical, mental and emotional state

from him- a virtuous him.

1http://www.sealswcc.com/navy-seals-buds-training-stages-overview.aspx

2http://www.sealswcc.com/navy-seals-missions.aspx
http://www.sealswcc.com/navy-seals-buds-training-stages-overview.aspxhttp://www.sealswcc.com/navy-seals-buds-training-stages-overview.aspxhttp://www.sealswcc.com/navy-seals-buds-training-stages-overview.aspxhttp://www.sealswcc.com/navy-seals-missions.aspxhttp://www.sealswcc.com/navy-seals-missions.aspxhttp://www.sealswcc.com/navy-seals-missions.aspxhttp://www.sealswcc.com/navy-seals-missions.aspxhttp://www.sealswcc.com/navy-seals-buds-training-stages-overview.aspx


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IS THE ACT MORALLY GOOD OR BAD? (AQUINAS DOCTRINE)

But whereas Aristotle envisioned a naturalistic morality through which men could

achieve virtue and happiness by fulfilling their natural capacities or end, Aquinas added

to this his concept of mans supernatural end. Being a Christian, Aquinas taught that

human nature has its source and ultimate end in God. Therefore human nature does not

contain its own standard of fulfillment. It is not enough for a man to be simply a man and

to exercise his natural functions and abilities in order to achieve perfect happiness.

There is a double level of moral ity corresponding to mans natural end and to his

supernatural end.(Hermida, 47) Using Aristotles doctrine, a moral assessment was

done considering only mans natural end. Now, using Aquinas doctrine, a moral

assessment on the same act will be done considering mans supernatural end. Aquinas

also has doctrines without much consideration for the supernatural end of man-

discussion on eternal law, human law, etc. But here, we delved only into the discussion

on the divine law.

The divine law is available to man through revelation and is found in the

scriptures. It is not the product of mans reason but is given to man through Gods grace

to ensure that men know what they must do to fulfill both their natural and, especially,

their supernatural ends. (Hermida, 61) Revelation is a common human phenomenon

but it can only be received in particular, concrete, specific, finite and relative historical

forms. (Haight, 64) The higher ends revelation is unique in every person because the

medium of revelation is dependent on the person. How the higher end is revealed to

you is based on your experiences. Though shall not killcan have several interpretations

despite a Christians belief that it is one of the Ten Commandments. Again, revelation is


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a common human phenomenon. It manifests itself in various ways and this paves the

way for an understanding of how a person should respect others beliefs, morals, etc.

Aquinas doctrine argues that there are moral doctrines revealed to us. Being a

revelation, it is innate to us. There is a law within each of us that we should always

abide.

Using the doctrine of Aquinas stating that the morality of an act depends on the

objective of the act, the intention of the agent and the circumstances, there will be

complications on determining whether a human act possesses goodness or is deficient

or evil. In resolving this, Aquinas doctrine and Roman Catholicism will be used. Roman

Catholicism will be used because, again, the identities of the members are not divulged

to the public. Hence, we cannot properly tell what their faiths are. We cannot determine

the divine law that is unique to everyone for each soldier. Instead, we utilized a divine

law prominent here in the University, Roman Catholicism. According Aquinas

doctrines there are three factors that determine the morality of the human act: the

objective of the act (Ex Objecto), the intention of the moral agent (Ex Fine) and the

circumstances affecting the human act (Ex Circumstantia). A human act possess

goodness insofar as there is something real about it and that it is completely good or

simply good if it has all the reality that is required by the norm of a good human act. On

the other hand, a human act is deficient or evil if it does not have what should be real in

it according to the essence of a good human act. (Hermida, 65) We refer to the Divine

Laws of Roman Catholicism to resolve the issue on the norm.

Again, the usual issue surrounding the morality of being a Navy SEAL is that

their duty has them inflicting pain. And again, their primary aim is to defend their nation


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and unfortunately, inflicting pain comes with that objective when necessary. These

SEALs make sure that they minimize inflicting pain. In their operation to take-down Bin

Laden, the objective of their act was to kill him. Contrary to initial reports, the mission

was a shoot-to-kill mission. The SEALs were ordered to kill Bin Laden upon sight and

that really was what happened. Bin Laden was shot to his dead in the chest and in the

head. The SEALs intended to kill Bin Laden. There are acts wherein the intention and

the objective are different but in this act, both are the same. The circumstances of the

act are show that the act was deliberated upon by so many experts including President

Barrack Obama and was done for self-defense. All three criteria have us concluding that

their decision was morally bad if we utilized the norms of Roman Catholicism. For us, it

was the nature of the mission, a shoot-to-kill mission that really spelled it to be a morally

bad act. Had there been an opportunity for Bin Laden to live, the results would have

been otherwise.

VOLUNATRINESS OF THE ACT (ARISTOTLE AND AQUINAS DOCTRINE)

Now, we look at whether the acts of the SEALs were voluntary. According to

Aristotle, for an act to be voluntary, it must originate in the agent and the agent must

know the particulars of the action. According to Aquainas, for an act to be voluntary, it

must proceed from deliberate will. The best way for us to assess this is by checking

whether the screening process of the Navy SEALs involved anything that could possible

hamper a voluntary decision of the recruits3.

3http://www.sealswcc.com/navy-seals-enlisted-general-requirements.aspx
http://www.sealswcc.com/navy-seals-enlisted-general-requirements.aspxhttp://www.sealswcc.com/navy-seals-enlisted-general-requirements.aspxhttp://www.sealswcc.com/navy-seals-enlisted-general-requirements.aspxhttp://www.sealswcc.com/navy-seals-enlisted-general-requirements.aspx


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Their screening involves ensuring that the person who decides to enter the Navy

SEALS is physically fit, mentally sharp, mature and resilient Apart from these screening

procedures that just involves the candidate, their screening procedures also involves

preparing the family of the candidate 4 . This clearly helps ensure that the people

involved in the screening and training wish to respect and also take care of someone

whom people like their own families hold so dear despite all the harmful things they will

have the candidate go through.

Looking at Aristotles first criteria and Aquainas criteria, the recruiters make sure

that the candidates decision originates from him by running a comprehensive

background check on the candidate through physical fitness tests, mental exams and

even checking his family background. This checks if the person is in a state of coercion.

With the technological innovations that they use for their background check like massive

computers running very complex searching algorithms, things are clearly ethical.

Looking at Aristotles second criteria which is to whether the candidates are being made

aware of the particulars, they surely are. Even more, their families and loved ones are

being well informed of what their son or loved one is going to go through.

4http://www.sealswcc.com/navy-seals-family-role.aspx
http://www.sealswcc.com/navy-seals-family-role.aspxhttp://www.sealswcc.com/navy-seals-family-role.aspxhttp://www.sealswcc.com/navy-seals-family-role.aspxhttp://www.sealswcc.com/navy-seals-family-role.aspx


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REFERENCES:

1. Discovery Channel Documentary entitled, Killing Bin Laden. Sites were:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4F4swvIze3o ,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owwa3ip2Qrc&feature=related ,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlDcybIIbmk&feature=related ,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ll471tUc9GA&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16uM21HD6bQ&feature=related

2. Navy SEALs website:http://www.sealswcc.com/navy-seals-buds-training-stages-

overview.aspx, http://www.sealswcc.com/navy-seals-missions.aspx ,

http://www.sealswcc.com/navy-seals-enlisted-general-requirements.aspx ,

http://www.sealswcc.com/navy-seals-family-role.aspx

3. Lecture Notes in Moral Philosophy, by Ranilo Hermida (Quezon City,

Philippines: Ateneo de Manila University, 2011).

4. Dynamics of Theology, by Roger Haight (Mahwah, NJ: Paulist Press, 1990)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4F4swvIze3ohttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4F4swvIze3ohttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owwa3ip2Qrc&feature=relatedhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owwa3ip2Qrc&feature=relatedhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlDcybIIbmk&feature=relatedhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlDcybIIbmk&feature=relatedhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ll471tUc9GA&feature=relatedhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ll471tUc9GA&feature=relatedhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16uM21HD6bQ&feature=relatedhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16uM21HD6bQ&feature=relatedhttp://www.sealswcc.com/navy-seals-buds-training-stages-overview.aspxhttp://www.sealswcc.com/navy-seals-buds-training-stages-overview.aspxhttp://www.sealswcc.com/navy-seals-buds-training-stages-overview.aspxhttp://www.sealswcc.com/navy-seals-buds-training-stages-overview.aspxhttp://www.sealswcc.com/navy-seals-missions.aspxhttp://www.sealswcc.com/navy-seals-missions.aspxhttp://www.sealswcc.com/navy-seals-enlisted-general-requirements.aspxhttp://www.sealswcc.com/navy-seals-enlisted-general-requirements.aspxhttp://www.sealswcc.com/navy-seals-family-role.aspxhttp://www.sealswcc.com/navy-seals-family-role.aspxhttp://www.sealswcc.com/navy-seals-family-role.aspxhttp://www.sealswcc.com/navy-seals-enlisted-general-requirements.aspxhttp://www.sealswcc.com/navy-seals-missions.aspxhttp://www.sealswcc.com/navy-seals-buds-training-stages-overview.aspxhttp://www.sealswcc.com/navy-seals-buds-training-stages-overview.aspxhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16uM21HD6bQ&feature=relatedhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ll471tUc9GA&feature=relatedhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlDcybIIbmk&feature=relatedhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owwa3ip2Qrc&feature=relatedhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4F4swvIze3o


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DYAD PAPER ON THE MORAL ASSESSMENT OF THE DECISION OF A NAVY SEAL

TO ENGAGE IN OPERATION NEPTUNE

In partial fulfillments of the requirements for

Philosophy 104: Foundations of Moral Value

Alfred Crespo

Jude Salinas

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SUMMARY OF EVENT.pdf