Y: The Sources of Islamic Revolutionary Conduct
Abstract
Why? This is the key question that has so far gone unanswered in the current struggle, the United States so-called global war on terrorism. It is the why questions that can be notoriously difficult to answer. It used to be the case in American secondary education, when pupils were taught how to write, that they were prompted to consider answering the traditional battery of basic questions: who, what, when, where, how, and why. In a general sense, the who-what-when-wherehow questions seem rather straightforward; they involve description, characterization, classification, or basic fact-finding. But the why question is in a category all of its own. It can pose the thorny challenge of uncovering more than just superficial reality. In terms of human behavior, it probes deeper and requires the writer to explore such concepts as meaning, truth, falsehood, intent, passion, and belief. It demands a completely different scope and level of reasoning. Over and above description, classification, or characterization, it requires analysis. In the fields of study that address human interaction for example in ethics, politics, international affairs, or warfare answering why questions involves penetrating the underlying cultural and metaphysical belief structures that serve to guide both individual and collective behavior. While who-what-when-where-how questions more often lend themselves to measurement, why questions inevitably reach beyond the scope of data collection and processing. The latter explore the strategic high ground that forms the basis for understanding humanity in all its shades, customs, cultures, and conflicts. Policy and academic elites in the United States seem very skilled at answering the who-what-when-where-how questions. In the current conflict, apparently inaugurated by the shocking events of 9/11, policy and academic elites have meticulously researched the answers to this standard battery of questions.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 01, 2005
- Accession Number
- ADA593518
Entities
People
- Stephen P. Lambert
Organizations
- National Intelligence University