Arnold Toynbee’s A Study of History is a 12-volume monster. I have read only the two-volume abridgement (many years past), which preserves Toynbee’s central thesis that there is a pattern to history. Civilizations rise and fall primarily in response to specific challenges; whatever those challenges are will be defining, and they must also be of the right pressure.Continue reading “Rewind the Clock”
Tag Archives: Aristotle
EXCELLENCE
There is a great quote, often wrongly attributed to Aristotle, but is actually from Will Durant (who is very well worth reading) in his discussion of Aristotle (The Story of Philosophy, 1926): Excellence is an art won by training and habituation: we do not act rightly because we have virtue or excellence, but we rather have theseContinue reading “EXCELLENCE”
NECESSARY VIOLENCE REDUX
Let me state unequivocally that I am not an advocate for violence. However, in my experience, it is imperative to understand how to employ violence since that is the only way to ensure we are training properly. Hence taking examples, training methods, and being influenced by other arts that focus on pragmatic and effective deployment ofContinue reading “NECESSARY VIOLENCE REDUX”
Protective Arts 