The Immortal Truth about Conflict and Victory
The Art of War is arguably the most widely read work of philosophy in history — for a reason
“The violent and stiff-necked die not by a natural death.” — Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching, translated by Lionel Giles
Given its posterity and vast range of translations, the ancient Chinese martial guide The Art of War may be the most widely read work of philosophy in history — actually read, I emphasize, due to the book’s clarity, urgency, and concision.
In that vein, I open (and close) this exploration of the classic guidebook to war and victory not with dates, names, and definitions — those will duly appear — but with practical points.
At its heart, The Art of War is a Taoist work: its key principle is to attain victory by blending with the natural order of things. That is the book’s approach to conflict and friction as it is to restoration and maintenance of peace. I believe the book’s outlook is distillable to five basic points:
1.The greatest warrior prevails without fighting; preparation, advantage, and rightness (or the Tao) make conflict unnecessary.
2. Beware the devastation of conflict: war should never be pursued lightly.
