This paper examines the necessity requirement in cases in which more than one defensive agent could avert the same threat of harm. It argues that the most compelling view of necessity is one that seeks to minimize harms by extending the constraint across agents pursuing the same defensive aim. Whether it is necessary, and to that extent permissible, for one agent to use defensive force may depend on whether another agent is likely to avert the same threat in a less harmful manner. This conception of necessity, however, seeks only to minimize harms in pursuit of a specific aim; it does not tell us which one of several ends to pursue based on how harmful different acts of rescue would be. This throws new light on the ethics of using defensive force in situations in which agents do not act alone.

中文翻译：

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必要性和其他防御


本文研究了多个防御者可以避免相同伤害威胁的情况下的必要性要求。它认为，最令人信服的必要性观点是通过扩大对追求相同防御目标的代理人的限制来最大程度地减少伤害。一个特工是否有必要以及在何种程度上允许使用防御力量可能取决于另一特工是否有可能以危害较小的方式避免相同的威胁。然而，这种必要性概念只是为了在追求特定目标的过程中尽量减少危害；它没有告诉我们根据不同救援行为的危害程度来追求几种目标中的哪一种。这为在特工不单独行动的情况下使用防御力量的道德提供了新的视角。