Philosophy At West Point

What should members of our military study?  What should they read?  What should they think about?  What is the relationship between their academic training and the duties that are to be expected of them?

These are the questions I've been pondering, thanks to a discussion on Facebook with an old (but not old) professor about Just War Theory (JWT) and the Principle of Double Effect (PDE).  It all started because I sent him this link to an Utne post about cadets at West Point being taught philosophy - and specifically JWT - to help them become better decision-makers.

Now, I am all for these cadets - hell, anyone! - learning some philosophy.  I think it makes one a better person.  However, I'm not convinced that philosophy makes one a better soldier.  There is a lot that is expected of a soldier, but the bottom line is that a soldier is trained to kill.  And I don't think philosophy helps in that regard.  Military strategy, sure, but not killing.

You see, philosophy is a practice done in community.  And, when two or three are gathered, the Bible may say God is there, but I can pretty much guarantee that you'll get some disagreement.  Well, when you disagree, you can fight about it or you can work through it.  Philosophy chooses that latter.

And, yes, I know that many philosophers throughout history have championed wars and violence.

But, when it comes down to it, philosophy is about sitting down at the table (or walking around, peripatetically, if you're a Stoic) and talking.  It's about disagreeing with my friends - and still being friends.  It's about learning that, if I don't even agree with my friends about everything, then maybe there are some things on which I agree with my enemies.  It's about realizing that we are all human, that we sometimes agree and sometimes disagree, whether we're friends or enemies.

And, if I figure out that my enemies aren't all that different from my friends, that my enemies are in fact a lot like me, then I probably don't want to kill them.

Now, I'm perfectly fine with that.  I think it's great, actually.  That's why I'm such an advocate for philosophy and dialogue.  That's why early Christians, who took that love your neighbor stuff pretty seriously, were seen as a threat.

But does the military really want its soldiers to think that way?

If they want to train killers, then they may want to reconsider their curriculum.