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1 - Introduction

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 December 2023

Peter Haldén
Affiliation:
Swedish Defence University, Stockholm
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Summary

Chapter one introduces the topics of the book, describes how I analyse them and outlines how the work is structured. It shows that there are many books on uncertainty as a philosophical issue but they do not deal with the problems and solutions of warfare. Conversely, there are many books on surprise and strategy in war but none that connect these problems to philosophical discussions on uncertainty, ontology and predictability. Many sociologists see our time as characterized by uncertainty but they overlook the dominance of ideologies of certainty and systems of predictability. I also argue that modernity is a civilization, not just a historical period; a theory that emphasizes that societies have always created predictability through law, norms and science but in different ways. Predictability and unpredictability should be seen as properties, existing in degrees, in different social systems. On the basis of this theory and drawing upon Machiavelli, Hume, Dewey and Luhmann, I argue that searching for certainty is not only dangerous but also unnecessary. We will always face shocks and surprises but through knowledge, collaboration and trust these will fade away with time.

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Chapter
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Worlds of Uncertainty
War, Philosophies and Projects for Order
, pp. 1 - 24
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2023

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  • Introduction
  • Peter Haldén, Swedish Defence University, Stockholm
  • Book: Worlds of Uncertainty
  • Online publication: 21 December 2023
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009392709.001
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  • Introduction
  • Peter Haldén, Swedish Defence University, Stockholm
  • Book: Worlds of Uncertainty
  • Online publication: 21 December 2023
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009392709.001
Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • Introduction
  • Peter Haldén, Swedish Defence University, Stockholm
  • Book: Worlds of Uncertainty
  • Online publication: 21 December 2023
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009392709.001
Available formats
×