Ebook: A Philosophy of War

If you are not required to use this text for a class, i would no reccomend it fora personal read.. it was a required text for my college Philosophy of War and Peace course.. The book was so bad i couldn't even enjoy the class.. It's ashame, as a military spouse I was really looking forward to it.. I am including the email I recieved from my professor regarding this book as well. hopefully by reading this I will have saved you from a horrible purchase.. If this is a required text for you.. well-- i just hope you can enjoy it more than I..


Let me speak frankly. First, let me say this is the best paper I have received in this course. No other approaches the depth and clarity of thought and presentation. Let me now use a segment of your paper to elucidate another point I need to make. You say:

"Despite his grandiose vocabulary, Moseley's thought process seems rather puerile. The dubious statements presented for discussion--"the causes [of war]...are not sufficient to explain why man wages war...", "Man is not determined by his environment so to explain war, we must refer to reasons...", "The individual is a volitional being, whose cognition is free to use and direct..." and, "Metaphysically, such concerted action is always voluntary..."--provide insight to his over-simplistic view of war, to say the least of human nature itself. While one could argue admirably for each argument when read in full context, simply, Moseley, yet again, presents statements of conjecture as fact."

In saying this, you echo my own thoughts about Moseley, and his ersatz attempt at philosophy. He seems to think that merely using a broad vocabulary is a reasonable substitute for clear and rational thought. To put it bluntly; much of the time, he's blowing smoke and merely re-states what most of us learned in elementary biology, psychology, and sociology. This is not philosophy. This is some sort of charade.
This is the first semester I have taught this class, and the last...at least until I find a proper and suitable text. This can be a good course; and can provide answers for people like yourself that are searching for those answers. But, as it is, it is almost a joke.
Let me say you do not have to turn in any more work in the course. You have already proven that you are an "A" student and you will receive an "A" for the semester. It has been a delight having you in class. I don't have many students with your erudition and acumen (heck, now I'm beginning to sound like Moseley!). It's been a pleasure.