Language:
English
Year of publication:
1998
Titel der Quelle:
American Philosophical Quarterly
Angaben zur Quelle:
35,3 (1998) 209-229
Keywords:
Schindler, Oskar,
;
Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945) Rescue
;
Righteous Gentiles in the Holocaust
Abstract:
According to Thomas Keneally's account, Oskar Schindler acted against the Nazi regime only when personally affected by German policy, threatened with the loss of cheap Jewish labor for his factory. Taking this as a factual premise, holds that Schindler acted to save Jews out of "practical necessity." Actions based on practical necessity result from an agent's inability to form certain intentions. After witnessing the murder of Jews in the Krakow ghetto, Schindler had three options regarding his workers: to resist genocidal policies by protecting them; to remain neutral, acquiescing to the regime's demands when necessary, but refraining from intentional cruelty; to actively cooperate with the regime. Schindler was unable to form the intention to carry out either of the last two. Therefore, the first was the only choice psychologically available to him. Thus, it was a practical necessity.
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