Why? This is the key question that has so far gone unanswered in
the current struggle, the United States' so-called global war on
terrorism. It is the "why" questions that can be notoriously
difficult to answer. It used to be the case in American secondary
education, when pupils were taught how to write, that they were
prompted to consider answering the traditional battery of basic
questions: who, what, when, where, how, and why. In a general
sense, the "who-what-when-wherehow" questions seem rather
straightforward; they involve description, characterization,
classification, or basic fact-finding. But the "why" question is in
a category all of its own. It can pose the thorny challenge of
uncovering more than just superficial reality. In terms of human
behavior, it probes deeper and requires the writer to explore such
concepts as meaning, truth, falsehood, intent, passion, and belief.
It demands a completely different scope and level of reasoning.
Over and above description, classification, or characterization, it
requires analysis. In the fields of study that address human
interaction-for example in ethics, politics, international affairs,
or warfare-answering "why" questions involves penetrating the
underlying cultural and metaphysical belief structures that serve
to guide both individual and collective behavior. While
"who-what-when-where-how" questions more often lend themselves to
measurement, "why" questions inevitably reach beyond the scope of
data collection and processing. The latter explore the strategic
high ground that forms the basis for understanding humanity in all
its shades, customs, cultures, and conflicts. Policy and academic
elites in the United States seem very skilled at answering the
"who-what-when-where-how" questions. In the current conflict,
apparently inaugurated by the shocking events of 9/11, policy and
academic elites have meticulously researched the answers to this
standard battery of questions. Yet few thoughtful analyses have
emerged that rise to the strategic scope of explaining why the
collective enemies of the United States continue to perpetuate
their violence. Many pundits have contributed their thirty-second
made-for-television ideological and political sound bites. What is
lacking, however, is a robust and rugged exchange of ideas, or a
substantive Lincoln-Douglas style debate about the "why" questions.
One primary reason for the absence of this strategic debate is that
today's policy and academic elites are intimidated by passionate
religious faith-and the current war is unavoidably connected to
religion. Whatever one thinks of the metaphysical realm, one cannot
escape the fact that one side clothes itself in religious rhetoric,
and often seems driven by metaphysical passion. But in the realm of
American policy and academic elites, religion is persona non grata.
To these elites, religion seems antiquated, troublesome,
pedestrian, and unsophisticated. Their Zeitgeist is defined by the
empirical rather than by metaphysical phenomena.
General
Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate?
Let us know about it.
Does this product have an incorrect or missing image?
Send us a new image.
Is this product missing categories?
Add more categories.
Review This Product
No reviews yet - be the first to create one!
Welcome to Loot.co.za!
Sign in / Register |Wishlists & Gift Vouchers |Help | Advanced search
