Vigilantism is an underdeveloped concept in scholarly discourse, particularly within the field of philosophy. My definition of vigilantism is: private citizens who engage in illegal coercive activity, against alleged transgressors of some normative code. Vigilantes seek to fulfill some conception of justice, and in doing so, they presume upon the state's authority. This definition excludes similar activities, like police brutality or terrorism. It also improves upon earlier definitions from other scholars. There are many potential objections to the practice of vigilantism as a whole, and there are many examples of unjustified, immoral vigilantism. However, vigilantism can be morally justified under the following circumstances: a breakdown of the legal system, protection of vulnerable individuals, proportional punishments, fair treatment, attempts to mend the larger social issues, and the advancement of justice. Depending on the particular circumstances, vigilantism can be morally justified, morally optimal, or unjustified. Since I can only provide a cursory examination of vigilantism, these ideas need more rigorous investigation and development. Further discussion on this subject is very important, given our volatile political climate. / Thesis / Master of Arts (MA) / Vigilantism requires more careful discussion in scholarly discourse, particularly given recent political developments in Canada and the United States. Although there is some earlier material on the subject, it is inconsistent and scattered across academic fields. Within this thesis, I develop a philosophical definition of vigilantism, and discuss how it differs things like terrorism or police brutality. I also develop a preliminary account of the morality of vigilantism, exploring several reasonable concerns with the practice as a whole. In spite of these issues, vigilantism can be morally justified under a particular set of circumstances, which are difficult but not impossible to fulfill. However, there is much more work to be done on the subject, in order to develop a robust understanding of vigilantism.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:mcmaster.ca/oai:macsphere.mcmaster.ca:11375/22213 |
| Date | 11 1900 |
| Creators | Ahmad, Safiyya |
| Contributors | Waluchow, Wil, Gedge, Elisabeth, Philosophy |
| Source Sets | McMaster University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
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