Code of the Warrior - 2nd Edition by Shannon E French (Hardcover)

About the Book

Drawing on philosophy, history, moral psychology, and ethics, this revised and expanded edition of French's The Code of the Warrior examines historical and contemporary warrior cultures and their values, arguing that today's warriors need a code, as their ancestors did, to pre...

Book Synopsis

Drawing on philosophy, history, moral psychology, and ethics, this revised and expanded edition of French's The Code of the Warrior examines historical and contemporary warrior cultures and their values, arguing that today's warriors need a code, as their ancestors did, to prevent them from crossing the thin but critical line that separates warriors from murderers in the battle against global terrorism.

Review Quotes

A successful effort to explore the moral limits that soldiers place on their own conduct in battle.

An interesting panorama of warrior codes and a glance at how American warriors see martial values today.

From start to finish, The Code of the Warrior has powerful and useful applications for all service members and law enforcement officers. But French's book is more than a must-read for those who carry weapons in service to their nation-now, as we enter into a clash of cultures with a War on Terrorism, this book charts the path for honorable conduct for our entire nation. It should be read by every politician and concerned citizen.

In The Code of the Warrior, Shannon French captures the essence of the military's core values, history, traditions, the benchmark of its leadership, the raison d'etre of servicemembers' development of character and honor.

Relying on her extensive knowledge of the history of warrior cultures, starting with the Greeks and Trojans, Shannon French has produced an outstanding work that will be of great value to the fledgling warrior, the current practitioner, or the veteran reflecting on his past performance. This book is an important text for anyone involved in warfare, which now includes almost everyone in a society confronting terrorism.

The horrific nature of the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States stirred national feelings of anger and hate that may accompany some U.S. warriors into the battle against terrorism. Without the internalized code of conduct French so eloquently describes, the combination of emotion and vastly superior U.S. military power puts our warriors at risk of becoming arrogant, detached, and in some ways like the enemies they despise. Her work is both timely and timeless.

This excellent work is worthwhile reading for military personnel and individuals interested in ethics. Highly recommended.

This is a rich survey of military values in diverse cultures, from ancient Greek and Roman to medieval Scandinavian, from Native American to Chinese and Japanese. The book also has the virtue of treating each of its disparate traditions in depth and with care. The Code of the Warrior is an impressively researched and eloquent work, well worth careful study by military professionals and others interested in martial values. It permits us to achieve insights regarding the similarities and differences between our contemporary American military code and those of more distant times and places, thus imparting authentic humanistic wisdom.

Thought-provoking opening and closing chapters.

Waiting until the fog of war has descended is too late to determine where the thin line between warrior and murderer is drawn. In The Code of the Warrior, French enlightens our thinking on this important question, offering fascinating historical examples and the kind of penetrating analysis that can only come from a philosopher devoted to the character development of our future warriors.

With amazingly smooth writing, this absorbing and valuable book studies the ethics governing warriors throughout history. Written with impressive erudition, balance, and wit, it will be agreeable reading for warriors, warriors in training, or anyone interested in their welfare.

About the Author

Shannon E. French is the Inamori Professor of Ethics, Director of the Inamori International Center for Ethics and Excellence, and a tenured member of the Philosophy Department at Case Western Reserve University.