Monday, August 20, 2007
Hanson has some interesting comments about Military History and its state in American academic institutions. At the bottom of the article is a guide and reading list for studying military history. The old maxim about repeating history because of ignorance of it applies in spades here, as well as an acknowledgement of man's basic nature. Interesting reading.
Related is spiritual life in which killing is taught to be wrong. Rapprochement between Christian or Buddhist teaching and the realities of human life is difficult, sometimes centering on the question: Is survival worth killing for? I know one monk who, I think, would answer "No." I think I would answer "Yes", but then questions of imminent danger, perceptions, and accuracy arise and make the question stickier. One thing is this: I don't want to answer "Yes".
It's an old human problem, but one that makes me think anew from time to time.
Related is spiritual life in which killing is taught to be wrong. Rapprochement between Christian or Buddhist teaching and the realities of human life is difficult, sometimes centering on the question: Is survival worth killing for? I know one monk who, I think, would answer "No." I think I would answer "Yes", but then questions of imminent danger, perceptions, and accuracy arise and make the question stickier. One thing is this: I don't want to answer "Yes".
It's an old human problem, but one that makes me think anew from time to time.
# posted by goldpython @ 10:29 AM 
