Duties towards human life.—Avoid homicide, acts of violence, and mutilation. Pascal and the Provinciales.
The right of self-defense.—Right to oppose force to force. Limits of this right.
Problems.—Four very grave problems are bound up in the question of self-defense: 1, the penalty of death; 2, political assassination; 3, the duel; 4, war.
The penalty of death.—The penalty of death is the right of self-defense exercised by society: it is just so far as it is efficacious.
Political assassination.—Murder is always a crime, under whatever pretext it may conceal itself.
The duel.—The duel is at the same time a homicide and a suicide; it is falsely considered justice, since it appeals to chance and skill.
War.—War is the only mode of self-defense existing among nations; it is desirable for the sake of humanity that it may some day disappear; but humanity cannot now exact this sacrifice of the country.
23. Division of social duties.—According to the foregoing distinctions, we will first divide duties into duties of justice and duties of charity.
Let us begin by expounding the duties of justice.
These duties may be summed up in a general manner in the respect for the person of others, and for all that is necessary for the preservation and development of that person. Hence four kinds of duties: