Quote Originally Posted by Rob Thornton View Post
Hey Slap,



I diagree - but only because I thnk it depends on interpretation of Ends, Ways and Means. It means something different depending on who you talk to and what their concerns are. I think motives, methods and opportunities is also useful - particularly at understanding the proximate type causes - but can be constraining if you are looking for long term causes that have morphed from their orignal impetus or relation - but the effect remains the same. It gets back to the linear, deterministic sense of history vs. the non-linear, contingent one.

Both (ends/ways/means & motive/method/opportunity) I think have their place - neither should exclude the other.

Best, Rob

Hi Rob, I could probabaly live with that except for the fact that people cause crimes and wars based upon their motives. So to me any theory of war that makes any sense must hold that understanding the motive is the most fundemental and important of all, from that everything else will flow.