Killing a person is generally considered one of the most seriously wrongful actions; however, many accept that it can be permissible to kill on a large scale in war. Does morality become more permissive in a state of war? Jeff McMahan argues that the conditions of war do not change what morality permits, and the justifications for killing are the same in war as they are in other contexts, such as individual self-defense. This view is radically at odds with the traditional theory of just war and has implications that challenge common sense. McMahan argues, for example, that it is wrong to fight in a war that is unjust because it lacks a just cause.