Martin Hähnel

This paper examines the contrasting yet complementary perspectives of Max Scheler and Joseph Maria Bochénski on the nature and ethics of war. Scheler, drawing from his phenomenological and value-ethical framework, explores war as a metaphysical force that reveals moral truths and societal decay, while Bochénski, a Thomist and war veteran, provides a systematic military ethics rooted in virtue theory and natural law. The paper contextualizes their reflections in light of contemporary conflicts, especially the war in Ukraine. By comparing Scheler’s metaphysical idealism with Bochénski’s practical virtue ethics, the study offers insights into enduring ethical questions surrounding war, moral responsibility, and the cultivation of military virtue.