Pragmatic Ethical Principlism, Violence and Nonviolence

This paper examines the ethical foundations of violence and nonviolence through the lens of Pragmatic Ethical Principlism ( pep ), a pluralistic framework that extends the work of W.D. Ross, Tom L. Beauchamp, and James Childress. Addressing the fundamental question, What is wrong with violence? , this paper argues that nonviolence is ethically superior by systematically applying seven core ethical principles: 1) seek the well-being of all concerned; 2) minimize harm; 3) respect autonomy and bodily integrity; 4) make room for personal growth and character development; 5) honor relational commitments and agreements; 6) act fairly; and 7)repair that which has been damaged. Moving beyond intuitionism and cultural assumptions, it provides a principled critique of violence based on ethical obligations and empirical research. This analysis is grounded in cross-cultural ethical traditions and supported by data from global research organizations, reinforcing the universality of nonviolence as an ethical imperative. A practical application to foster care demonstrates how pep informs nonviolent caregiving. The paper concludes that nonviolence, as a structured ethical commitment, fosters individual and communal flourishing while offering a pragmatic alternative to violent solutions.