is it ethic to learn to kill other people?

Question

During my military service, i learned to kill people, even with a knife, they did have an instruction manual with "easy-to-follow-steps".
I felt very bad at that time.

Answer 1

If you join any branch of military service first & foremost your a soldier - albeit army navy, airforce or whatever. Your first induction is to be trained (at academies or whatever) to be a soldier. I.e you are tought not only to kill but above all to defend yourself and others (who are either too weak or unable to defend themselves). Be you cook, driver, cleaner or whatever, that is your prime factor.

Whether you, myself as an ex military man, or others, deem it a noble profession is not an issue.

Stop, take a look around you. Daily life continues in all exuberant forms one way or another across the civilised and western world. No. It's not without its grief, endurance, loss or hardship either.

Such commodities and values were won on the field, seas and in the air of human conflicts. Passed from generation to generation and beloved by those who embrace them to this day.

Every soldier at some time feels as you did. It's what makes you human. As you progress through life you'll value it all the more.

Go for a walk in some leafy park wherein families gather, children play, lovers meet. Thats life, thats what we served for, that what we protected and ensured for our generations to come.

Answer 2

There'd be something wrong with someone who did'nt feel bad about the thought of killing. Being in the military, by definition, one may be expected to kill. It's an ugly fact of life, but it's also sometimes unavoidable. To learn how to take a life does not mean that you WILL take a life, or should. It simply means you know how.
The term "easy-to-follow" steps is misleading (and I doubt, the words used in the manual) A simple procedure, or illustration can be clear, but not "easy". If it's easy for one to take a life, they've got no business being anywhere but locked-up.

Answer 3

The point is to kill people who are trying to kill you & others. Is it ethical for a police officer to learn how to shoot criminals pointing a weapon at children? You do your job, protect the people beside you, & come home safe. People that get paid a lot more than me deicde when, where, & why we go. So yes, it's ethical.

Answer 4

No, you are depriving someone of life for a lesser reason. Unless you are a consequentialist (OK to cause harm for greater good; end justify means), then you are both self-mutilating yourself and others by harming some basic human goods as: integrity (you kill for a living), trust (can you trust a murderer?) and life (you destroyed a person's child). Of course, that's only an absolutist's point of view and by no means the only by far.

Answer 5

Can you send me the manual since it sound like you dont need it? but to answer your question there is nothin wrong with learning how to effectivly kill someone your life might depend on it one day, what if someone breaks into your house or something its kinda like carrying a gun rather be caught with it than without it what does it cost you to know how to kill someone and never do it. What does it cost you to need to know how to kill someone and not know how, your or someone close to you's life something that im not willing to give up

Answer 6

Some people need to be killed.
You felt very bad at the time, but don't now?
It is ethicAL to kill people that need to be killed.

Answer 7

IF YOU GO INTO THE MILITARY, YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT KILLING IS GOING TO BE ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THEY'RE GONNA TEACH YOU. YOU WILL BE TURNED INTO A DISCIPLINED KILLING MACHINE. YOU'LL NEED THOSE SKILLS TO DEFEND YOUR COUNTRY, TO DEFEND YOUR PEOPLE. IF YOU CAN'T HANDLE THAT THEN THE MILITARY ISN'T FOR YOU.

I CAN TOTALLY UNDERSTAND YOU FEELING BAD ABOUT KILLING. THAT'S ONLY RIGHT. THERE WOULD BE SOMETHING WRONG WITH YOU IF YOU DIDN'T FEEL BAD. I DON'T KNOW HOW ETHICAL IT IS. IS IT NECESSARY? UNFORTUNATELY IN OUR WORLD YES IT'S NECESSARY. ETHICAL, AH DOESN'T MATTER, YOU HAVE TO DO WHAT YOU NEED TO DO TO DEFEND YOUR COUNTRY.

DO YOU THINK THE TERRORIST ARE CONCERNED WITH HOW ETHICAL KILLING US OFF IS? NOPE. THEY DON'T CARE. DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT. YOU ONLY DID WHAT YOU WERE TOLD TO DO.

Answer 8

i know how to run over people with a car but that doesn't mean that i am a bad person...what you learn is only as unethical or ethical as what you do.

Answer 9

There was an inscription on an old Irish sword that said this:

"Neither draw me without cause, nor return me without honour."

That alone is a damn good basis as to when it is acceptable and when it is unacceptable to harm another person.

Answer 10

based on your question.. i guess it is not ethical. but then if you say "other people who are with the intent to harm/kill you and the people around you".. then i guess it is ok.