Migration-related Aspects of Resilience: the Ukrainian Styx of Moral Luck

Abstract

The article, in the format of thought experiments, suggests an example of applying the concepts of moral luck and resilience to modeling the intentional-causal structure of paradoxical situations when illegal migration of the above-mentioned citizens of Ukraine abroad to evade mobilization and avoid risks associated with participation in hostilities, ended in the death of subjects due to the natural circumstances beyond their control during migration. The moral luck problematics in the life-death situations of seeking survival by avoiding civic duty have been considered in the context of the 2015-2024 philosophical discussion on the Thirsty Traveller experiment, which is aimed at outlining the blameworthiness of the morally compromised action based on evaluative orientations of the agent of the action. Taking into account the complex existential, socio-philosophical (migratory), deontic, and ethical nature of the issue, the evasion of conscripted citizens from fulfilling their civic duty, as well as illegal migration during the phase of war escalation and general mobilization during the special period has been considered in the context of modern discussions on martial necropolitics, the value grounds of resilience as responsibility for the consequences and the ability to stand the challenges and duties triggered by the war, as well as the moral and ethical context of blaming and justifying subjects’ actions in the relevant mobilization-related cases of moral luck. The article is aimed at evoking a discussion on the topic of moral luck terms application to the evasion from mobilization: besides a modeling suggestion for the Thirsty Traveller thought experiment adaptation to the context of Ukraine and four interpretations of the version, there have also been formulated discussion questions on causal, resultant, circumstantial and constitutive aspects of moral luck viewed through citizenship-related responsibility.