A short dialogue between Socrates and Coros on the nature of war
Oh Socrates, I do hear the horns of war a'sounding. Is it true? Will we soon be caught up in the violent ambitions of powerful men?
I fear so, dear Coros.
And now we lament our impending doom, oh dearest of philosophers. But say, how did we arrive at this sorrowful point? What was the root cause of this invasion?
It could have been many things: Our enemy may have been tricked into thinking us a threat (led by our 'mad tyrant') and thus launched an invasion to defend against our invisible armies - the paranoid fools!
Or perhaps the desires of their people are so great that they grow outwards like an infinite weed, forever seeking to take more and more resources to fuel their greedy machine.
I suppose it could be tradition or religious motivation; a way of finding purpose in life by submitting to powerful military authority; and it does give all of those soldiers something to do. If they were all on the bread line, it would cause utter chaos.
I imagine it is a mixture of these things, and perhaps more things I have left out in my foolishness; for I do after all know nothing of anything!
Ha, all plausible explanations my modest Socrates. Before we are called to fight for our very survival, do you have any advice on stopping future invasions?
Fortunately for us friends of reason, I do. The first, is to have more spears and shields than your enemy! Or failing that, lots of spears and shields and plenty of allies; this way it will be far too much of a hassle for them to conquer us and they will go for the next weakest prey.
The second, is for us to travel into the heart of their greatest cities and convince them that their expansionist lifestyle is morally wrong, and that all of the art, technology, architecture, literature, and all of those other things they create by exploiting and destroying other people, should be done away with for a simpler pastoral life, free from desire altogether.
Oh come off it Socrates, such a utopian vision is impossible to create! Fancy that, humans roaming around like cows. Such a state is regression surely?
A peaceful regression all the same! I suppose we could change the values of the city-states, to divert our natural desires for growth in a different direction, guided by powerful philosopher kings.
Ah, so the young lad will no longer wish to join the cavalry as a fledgling Achilles, but wander the market place in search for reason - a fledgling Socrates!
Yes, something like that Coros, although no one ought to mirror a sad old codger such as myself; I should not like to inspire a generation of fools.
But of course not Socrates. Ah yes, if only we could channel our insatiable desires in such a way that did not destroy so much around us.
Aye old friend, yet this is no time for woeful lament.
Indeed, let us ready our weapons and prepare for battle.
So long as no student of history, staring back across the annals of time, thinks this battle to be a case of honoured contest between two armies of equals, then I shall be happy to play my part in our doomed defence.
By Selim 'Selim' Talat
The Philosophy Takeaway 'War' Issue 28
