Nuremberg Defense
Version 1.0.0 · Updated 2026-07-28
CORE DEFINITION
Superior orders, also known as just following orders or the Nuremberg defense, is a plea in a court of law that a person, whether civilian, military or police, should not be considered guilty of committing crimes ordered by a superior officer or official. It is regarded as a complement to command responsibility.
SCAFFOLDING EFFECT
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Superior orders, also known as just following orders or the Nuremberg defense, is a plea in a court of law that a person, whether civilian, military or police, should not be considered guilty of committing crimes ordered by a superior officer or official. It is regarded as a complement to command responsibility.
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"I was just following orders" attempts to shift moral responsibility to superiors or the system; the Nuremberg trials established that this defense is invalid. It delineates the firewall against the "banality of evil": the executor cannot outsource conscience to the system; the individual remains a moral agent.
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Source support: Explicit
- en.wikipedia.orghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superior_ordersverified
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