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Thu 22 Jun, 2006 05:55 am
Judgment in War
I was listening to NPR and heard a Marine lieutenant explain some aspects of "The Rules of Engagement" used in the Iraqi war.
He said that there are normal rules handed down from the top and then there are exceptions that allow the leader of a group to make modifications under fire.
He spoke of an instance when his group was monitoring a group of houses and an old man walked out of a house. The lieutenant decided that the man was not dangerous and thus not to be shot. However one of his group did shoot the man. The lieutenant apparently had the option of either reporting the man or of deciding that the shot was within bounds.
The interview continued for about twenty minutes and I was brought face-to-face with some of the difficult judgments soldier must make in combat. We make judgment calls constantly and some like those in war are matters of life and death.
How does one cultivate the ability to make good judgments?
I think that one can study the ways of logical thinking and thus improve their judgmental ability. One can take Logic 101 in college to learn the fundamentals of rational thought, or one can learn such things on their own if they did not go to college or did not take this course in college.
My guess is that less than 5% of college graduates took Logic 101. Logic 101 is not rocket science; it is easily within the ability of most any adult to learn these matters with a little concentration and study.
A second way to improve judgment is to learn the irrational tendencies that are part of human nature. Our genes give us a propensity for egocentric and sociocentric behavior. Egocentric and sociocentric tendencies are irrational tendencies that inhibit rational judgment.
Can knowledge of Logic 101 help a person make better judgments? Can self-consciousness of our irrational propensities help a person make better judgments? I think the answer to both questions is yes.
Re: Judgment in War
coberst wrote:How does one cultivate the ability to make good judgments?
Of all the questions that could be asked regarding this topic, yours is quite possibly the least interesting.
Coberst
I think you put way too much stock in the mere act of thinking.
You cultivate the ability to make good judgements from suffering the consequences of your bad ones.
It might be a cliche; that we learn best from our mistakes. But have you ever heard a cliche that wasn't true?
Of course, the ability to think straight is an advantage, but thinking happens on the basis of experience, and so the fog of ignorance cannot always be lifted by sheer logic.
Cyracuz says--"I think you put way too much stock in the mere act of thinking."
Cy I have seen pecular statements made on Internet forums, I do think that yours may be a winner. I am speachless!
You misspelled "speechless." Cyacuz is completely correct. Thinking is merely an activity, with no guarantee of value. Far too many people operate on a principle of "if i can think of it, it must be true." Quantum mechanics defies all logic based upon our previous experiene of material physics. The simple ability to think, and the ability to apply "logic," are not proof against sophistry, and often lead to the most ridiculous propositions.
Speechlessness notwithstanding - I think his statement was true.
Right on, Snood.
Here's an example of the value of logic. All people who breathe will die, sooner or later. Therefore, breathing is the leading cause of death in human beings. Simple logic, simple-minded and idiotic conclusion.
Haditha wasn't mentioned, only broadly alluded to by the subject matter - but, as to the decisions made by those marines in that instance...
I am still gathering information about it, but from what I've seen thus far, the "rules of engagement", no matter how loosely interpreted, ain't gonna be able to cover killing unarmed women and children at close range.
Re: Judgment in War
coberst wrote:Can knowledge of Logic 101 help a person make better judgments? Can self-consciousness of our irrational propensities help a person make better judgments? I think the answer to both questions is yes.
I don't imagine you'll find many people who will argue with this fairly uncontroversial statement. Certainly these are good ways to hone one's judgment. However, judgment can really only be deemed "good" by weighing it against results--i.e. when you apply it to something. Even the most eloquent cogitations are just words until they are tested. The solider from your NPR interview is a case where something was actually at stake. Merely thinking, though it may seem peculiar to you, is a case where nothing is at stake, and whatever you think up will be correspondingly valuable, or not.
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