3 ms·

Okay let us suppose there are three probable reasons for such a book to be chosen as mandatory reading: because it is right, because it is wrong, or because it

Okay let us suppose there are three probable reasons for such a book to be chosen as mandatory reading: because it is right, because it is wrong, or because it is historically important as a landmark in the history of military thought. I believe it is the first of those three. Many books have been written since that are now outdated, while The Art of War is not.

thaumasiotes 3y ago
> let us suppose there are three probable reasons for such a book to be chosen as mandatory reading: because it is right, because it is wrong, or because it is historically important as a landmark in the history of military thought. You might have better luck with some actual reasons. Assuming you're right and then complaining that nobody believes you even though your assumptions plainly show that you're right isn't going to make you sound any more credible. Here's an article noting that UK water companies use divination to locate underground pipes: https://sallylepage.medium.com/in-2017-uk-water-companies-still-rely-on-magic-6eb62e036b02 https://sallylepage.medium.com/in-2017-uk-water-companies-st... Which of these would you say is most likely accurate? 1. The water companies use dowsing because dowsing works. 2. The water companies use dowsing because dowsing doesn't work. 3. Whether dowsing works or not is not a factor in why water companies use it.
- PostOnce 3y ago
  Instead of just asserting that I'm wrong and that there is some elusive and esoteric reason I am overlooking without actually stating it, you could just state it, and then, theoretically, if you are right, I and all the other readers would be better off... I'm willing to change my mind, but you're not giving me anything to change it to.
mcv 3y ago
> because it is right, because it is wrong, or because it is historically important as a landmark in the history of military thought. > I believe it is the first of those three. I believe it's fairly obvious it's the third. It's a landmark because it's the first. It's read for the same reasons people care about Plato and Aristoteles. Not because they were correct about everything, but because that's what everything since then builds upon.

thaumasiotes 3y ago

> let us suppose there are three probable reasons for such a book to be chosen as mandatory reading: because it is right, because it is wrong, or because it is historically important as a landmark in the history of military thought. You might have better luck with some actual reasons. Assuming you're right and then complaining that nobody believes you even though your assumptions plainly show that you're right isn't going to make you sound any more credible. Here's an article noting that UK water companies use divination to locate underground pipes: https://sallylepage.medium.com/in-2017-uk-water-companies-still-rely-on-magic-6eb62e036b02 https://sallylepage.medium.com/in-2017-uk-water-companies-st... Which of these would you say is most likely accurate? 1. The water companies use dowsing because dowsing works. 2. The water companies use dowsing because dowsing doesn't work. 3. Whether dowsing works or not is not a factor in why water companies use it.

PostOnce 3y ago
Instead of just asserting that I'm wrong and that there is some elusive and esoteric reason I am overlooking without actually stating it, you could just state it, and then, theoretically, if you are right, I and all the other readers would be better off... I'm willing to change my mind, but you're not giving me anything to change it to.

mcv 3y ago

> because it is right, because it is wrong, or because it is historically important as a landmark in the history of military thought. > I believe it is the first of those three. I believe it's fairly obvious it's the third. It's a landmark because it's the first. It's read for the same reasons people care about Plato and Aristoteles. Not because they were correct about everything, but because that's what everything since then builds upon.