Memories...
Saturday, November 24, 2007
ON CLAUSEWITZI seldom profess to be a core disciple of any philosopher or intellectual. But Karl Von Clausewitz here has really got me intrigued & fascinated, after the module on Study of War.So much of his thoughts have profound influence and ramifications on not just the conduct of war, the conduct of strategic studies, the conduct of politics, but also on the conduct of everyday life. Business, sports, etc. The key trait of Clausewitz is that he doesn't give u answers, unlike Henri Jomini who advocates the unchanging essentials of principles. Instead, Clausewitz invites u to straddle the boundaries together with him & to think of issues as beyond just art or science.I particularly enjoyed Clausewitz's view of the paradoxical trinity of war, comprising of the 3 elements of: Violence or emotions, Chance & uncertainty, as well as the logic of policy or reason. Underpinning this trinity are the forces of friction, the fog of war, & the human agency as a living force. The reason why I enjoyed this concept is that I can really relate it to so many aspects of life, and I intend to really apply it to my strategic thinking when I step into the working world soon.