The code of the warrior : exploring warrior values past and present
Warrior cultures throughout history have developed unique codes that restrict their behavior and set them apart from the rest of society. But what possible reason could a warrior have for accepting such restraints? Why should those whose profession can force them into hellish kill-or-be-killed conditions care about such lofty concepts as honor, courage, nobility, duty, and sacrifice? And why should it matter so much to the warriors themselves that they be something more than mere murderers? The Code of the Warrior tackles these timely issues and takes the reader on a tour of warrior cultures and their values, from the ancient Greeks and Romans to the 'barbaric' Vikings and Celts, from legendary chivalric knights to Native American tribesmen, from Chinese warrior monks pursuing enlightenment to Japanese samurai practicing death. Drawing these rich traditions up to the present, the author quests for a code for the warriors of today, as they do battle in asymmetric conflicts against unconventional forces and the scourge of global terrorism.--Publisher
Print Book, English, ©2003
Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Lanham, Md., ©2003
xiv, 258 pages ; 24 cm
9780847697564, 9781417503346, 9780847697571, 0847697568, 1417503343, 0847697576
50270759
Why warriors need a code
The Homeric hero: a Hector who wins?
The two faces of Rome: Stoicism and Hedonism
Vikings: Vengeance, Valkyries, and Valhalla
"Never to do outrageousity nor murder": the world of Malory's Morte Darthur / Felicia Ackerman
Native Americans: warriors of the sacred plains
Chinese warrior monks: the martial artists of Shaolin
The soul of the Samurai: duty, devotion, and death
The warrior's code today: are terrorists warriors?