This volume investigates the moral and legal justifications for the use of defensive force, specifically focusing on the conditions under which lethal force is permissible. Editors Christian Coons and Michael Weber compile fifteen original essays from leading scholars to examine the intersection of individual rights, state authority, and the ethics of harm. The text provides a rigorous framework for evaluating when a threat becomes liable to defensive action, challenging readers to reconcile theoretical moral principles with contemporary real-world applications.

Experts identify this collection as a significant contribution to contemporary moral and legal philosophy, particularly for its focus on the ethics of lethal force. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose, making it a suitable resource for advanced students and professionals in the fields of law and ethics.