Browsing by Author "Wei, Wei"

This thesis discusses an alternative interpretation of the ethical theoretical system established by Immanuel Kant – the Kantian Nonideal Normativity; and assesses the morality of nuclear related practices conducted by parties in the North Korean Nuclear Security Complex. This thesis interprets Kantian moral philosophy from a double-level perspective, indicating that while Kantian ideal theory is presenting an ideal moral goal for human beings to live up to in an ideal world; Kantian nonideal theory works as practical guidance in nonideal circumstances to maximally approach the ideals for historical human development. This thesis assesses the morality of North Korea’s acquiring nuclear military capability on the right of self-defence. It examines domestic analogies of the right of self-defence as the grounding of national defence, the right to lie in specific circumstances, and the partial state of nature; argues that the acquisition of nuclear military capability is morally permitted in a specific circumstance under strict conditions. Contemporary North Korean history after Korean War was examined to determine the conditions North Korea had been in when it developed its nuclear capability. First key finding of this thesis is that North Korea is morally permitted to acquire nuclear military capability in order not to become a means. Second key finding is that the punitive actions done to North Korea by other parties in the Complex aiming its nuclear capability acquisition are to be morally scrutinized for violation of duty of nonintervention. North Korea is entitled to its right of nonintervention as it does not belong to either categories of exception. Its violation of NPT cannot be the excuse for other actors to violate their moral duties. And punitive actions should not be used by states to seek their own ends. The moral obligation for North Korea and the US to join a union of states constitutes the third key finding of this thesis. The decision to join must be an autonomous one. The establishing of such union is the key to solving the nuclear issue in Korean Peninsula. Kantian morality is exceptionally strict in keeping peace among states, yet it holds even higher freewill and justice. Kantian perpetual peace does not come from unilateral disarmament of several states, but from a systematic change of nuclear mindset and current non-proliferation institution.