| Warrior
cultures throughout history have developed unique codes that
restrict their behavior and set them apart from the rest of
society. But what possible reason could a warrior have for
accepting such restraints? Why should those whose profession
can force them into hellish kill-or-be-killed conditions care
about such lofty concepts as honor, courage, nobility, duty,
and sacrifice? And why should it matter so much to the warriors
themselves that they be something more than mere murderers?
The Code of
the Warrior tackles these timely issues and takes the
reader on a tour of warrior cultures and their values, from
the ancient Greeks and Romans to the "barbaric"
Vikings and Celts, from legendary chivalric knights to Native
American tribesmen, from Chinese warrior monks pursuing enlightenment
to Japanese samurai practicing death. Drawing these rich traditions
up to the present, the author quests for a code for the warriors
of today, as they do battle in asymmetric conflicts against
unconventional forces and the scourge of global terrorism.
Shannon French is assistant professor of
philosophy and coordinator of the core ethics curriculum at
the United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland.
|
