Józefa M. Bocheńskiego elementarz etyki wojskowej

Military ethics as one of a „special ethics” is built, according to Bocheński, on morally obvious right to self-defense and obligation to defend the closest people. It is related to patriotism understood as love of the country, love is a prominent value in defense of which man is willing to sacrifice his life. With regard to characteristics of a soldier Bocheński suggests the following shape of skills and virtues proper for a military job: of prime importance is bravery, connected rather with heroism and honour than with patience and persistence. Also, virtues demanded for the process of taking decision are, as Bocheński claims, key for all militaries regardless their rank, because even the lowest, a private soldier has to decide. When it comes to taking decision, the most essential is a set of skills and values which enable its accurate conduct. Apart from suitable knowledge and skills there are wisdom and prudence as the most important virtues in taking decision. The most significant virtues of superiors, according to Bocheński, are integrity and justice, generosity and humility. Integrity means respect for law. Justice regulates all human relations. Generosity is related to a task of being a superior, and always to some socially important good, furthermore, it is a task of a superior to guide toward that important good. Humility, hence, is a condition to judge themselves and the others properly, what is indispensable for managing people. Taking decisions and superiority are related to a question of military obedience. Ethical fundament of that obedience is common good, to which army is subordinated. That common good is a principle which joins efforts of both, superiors and subordinates. The first condition of obedience is conviction that all members of community serve the same common goal. Order received from a su-perior can be a decision held at one of its stage. There are situations when an order speaks only about the task of planned activity, or it can indicate a set of means available or it may just order so-me action. The virtue of obedience means that we do not question and ponder on particular stages of a process of decision performed by superior but proceed as effectively as possible until the task is fulfilled. In his military ethics Józef Bocheński promotes the ethos of Polish soldier as a knight, hence the spiritual culture is a matter of prime importance in the army. It is crucial to develop this culture within a proper, which is humanist, frame. Advanced development of military technology must be accompanied by a care for advanced moral development.