Barbarous Philosophers

Christopher Coker is Professor of International Relations at the London School of Economics, and Adjunct Professor at the Staff College in Oslo. He is the author of many books on defence and security issues including Warrior Ethos (2007) and Humane Warfare (2001).

'His volume clearly aspires to give us a more profound understanding of war by familiarizing us with important insights by philosophers. His goal in doing so is not to encourage an end to war, something he thinks unlikely to happen in any case, but to make readers aware of ways of thinking about war that might lead to a deeper understanding of its causes and effects, as well as the ways in which it is fought and why it succeeds or fails to achieve its political goals.'-Richard Ned Lebow, Dartmouth College, USA, and London School of Economics and Political Science, UK. 'Like Plato synthesizing Parmenides' world of eternal being and Heraclitus's world of constant change, Coker compels his readers to think through what Clausewitz and Sun called the enduring nature, yet ever-changing character of war. A splendid introduction for specialists and non-specialists alike.' - Professor Karl F. Walling, United States Naval War College 'Throughout this book fizzes with ideas. Coker is inventive, imaginative and erudite. We are swept along in an argument that ranges from Heraclitus to Rorty in a few dizzying paragraphs. The digressions and diversions are part of the entertainment, and the sinuous style draws you in. [...] Coker gives us a fascinating window on different cultures' understanding of war.' - TLS