# Robert L. Holmes

Robert L. Holmes (28 December, 1935) is a noted Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at the University of Rochester and an internationally recognized lecturer on the topics of peace and nonviolence. As a specialist in ethics and political philosophy, he has also made significant contributions to modern scholarly analysis on the topics of just war, mutual assured destruction, nonviolence and pacifism.

## Quotes
### On War and Morality (1989)

* It is presumptively wrong to do violence to innocent persons.
** Robert L. Holmes, On War and Morality (1989) p. 44
* Plausible moral theory must have at its center a concern for the lives and well-being of persons.
** Robert L. Holmes, On War and Morality (1989) p. 24
* A necessary condition of the justifiable pursuit of any objectives in war by any means whatever.. is that one be justified in engaging in such killing and violence in the first place.
** Robert L. Holmes, On War and Morality (1989) p. 180
* We will never know whether there is a realistic moral alternative to violence unless we are willing to explore the potential of nonviolent action.
** Robert L. Holmes, On War and Morality (1989) p. 293
* What I mean by saying that war is wrong is not only that it is bad but that it ought not to be waged, that governments ought not to declare and fight wars, societies ought not to provide them with the means by which to do so, and individuals ought not to sanction, support and participate in wars.
** Robert L. Holmes, On War and Morality (1989) p. 15

### The Ethics of Nonviolence: Essays by Robert L. Holmes (2013)

* If one thinks of nonviolence as a way of life, then it works to the extent that one lives nonviolently and infuses everyday conduct with a nonviolent spirit...whether we act nonviolently, considerately, and respectfully of others in all that we do is within our control. Nonviolence in that sense cannot fail to work if we resolve to see that it works.
** Robert L. Holmes, The Ethics of Nonviolence: Essays by Robert L. Holmes, Editor: Predrag Cicovaki, (2013) p. xx

### Pacifism: A Philosophy of Nonviolence (2017)

* To be a pragmatic pacifist, one need only consider that large-scale, organized, and systemic war violence is unacceptable in today's world.
** Robert L. Holmes, Pacifism: A Philosophy of Nonviolence, in the book review by Cheyney Ryan, Oxford University (2017)
* By focusing on the entitlements of collectivities (notably nation states) as opposed to the well-being of individuals, the just war theory frames a rationale for war which omits the central moral issue...whether the massive, systematic and deliberate killing of human beings can ever be justified.
** Robert L. Holmes, Pacifism: A Philosophy of Nonviolence, (2017) p. xvii

## Bibliography

* On War and Morality, Princeton University Press, New Jersey, 1989. ISBN 978-1-4008-6014-2; quoted on Google Books.
* The Ethics of Nonviolence: Essays by Robert L. Holmes. Ed. Predrag, Cicovaki. Bloomsbury, 2013 ISBN 978-1-6235-6580-0 quoted on Google Books
* Pacifism: A Philosophy of Nonviolence, Bloomsbury, New York, 2016 pp. 265-266. ISBN 978-1-4712-7983-3; See the review of the book by Cheyney Ryan, Oxford University 2017 in "Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews", quoted on ndpr.nd.edu.

## External links

* Robert L. Holmes' publications on Google Scholar
* Robert L. Holmes' publications on Philpapers.org
* Robert L. Holmes on worldcat.org
* Robert L. Holmes - publications on McMillan's openlibrary.org
* Basic Moral Philosophy by Robert L. Holmes on books.google.com
* On War and Morality by Robert L. Holmes on books.google.com
* The Ethics of Nonviolence - Essays by Robert L. Holmes Editor: Predrag Cicovacki on books.google.com
* Introduction to Applied Ethics by Robert L.Holmes on books.google.com
* Kant's Legacy: Essays in Honor of Lewis White Beck Editor: Predrag Cicovacki. Contributor: Robert L. Holmes -"Consequentialism and its Consequences" on books.google.com
* The Augustinian Tradition Editor: Gareth B. Matthews. Contributor: Robert L. Holmes - "St. Augustine and the Just War Theory" on books.google.com
* Authority control: WorldCat search