Science, Strategy and War The Strategic Theory of ... - Boekje Pienter

6. CORE ARGUMENTS‘Patterns of Conflict’ represents a compendium of ideas and actionsfor winning and losing in a highly competitive world’John BoydA Discourse in proseIntroductionThe previous chapters have provided a conceptual lens through which we can examineBoyd’s presentations. In the following chapters I have elaborated in full prose what Boydsketched out in his slides. This exercise will substantiate one of the arguments of this studythat although the idea of “rapid OODA looping” is indeed an important theme in Boyd’swork and significant in its own right, in fact his work is much broader and more complexthan “merely” this insight suggests. Reading Boyd’s own words and following Boyd throughall of his slides and the essay will show that there are several other important themes thatBoyd wanted to get across, indeed, it will demonstrate the richness of Boyd’s body ofstrategic thought.In A Discourse Boyd not only developed an approach for fighting conventional warwhich later was labeled the maneuvrist approach with the rapid OODA loop notion as itsconceptual heart. It will become clear that Boyd recognized there are several “categories ofconflict”, all valid modes of warfare in particular contexts, and all with their own particularlogic. It will also demonstrate that Boyd did not stop at the tactical and operational levels ofwar. On the contrary; as already alluded to in the previous chapters, he addresses thestrategic and grand strategic levels as well and in considerable detail. Indeed, he is at pains toreconceptualize the meaning of these terms by putting them in the context of adaptability, aslevels in the game of survival.Furthermore, in his discussion on these issues, he departs from the rapid OODAloop idea in recognition of the fact that other factors come into play at the higher levels ofwar. In particular in his last two presentations Boyd takes his arguments towards higherlevels of abstraction, turning his military theory into a general theory of strategy, or rather, ageneral theory of organizational survival. Finally, these chapters will illustrate Boyd’s view onthe proper approach for strategic thinking, for A Discourse is both an argument on a specificapproach for winning in conflict, a re-conceptualization of the term strategy, as well as anargument for how one should think strategically.Preceded by an introduction to each presentation, the chapters stay close to Boyd’sslides and the structure of his argument. This does not allow for much analysis, commentaryor explanation for that would obscure Boyd’s own work, but it does have the benefit ofgiving a good introduction into Boyd’s strategic thought in the absence of an established andaccepted interpretation of his work. It also offers a view on the typical Boydian style oflanguage. Already the previous chapters incorporated various sections of A Discourse with thepurpose to show the extent, the way and the places insights from science have influencedthis work. And for purposes of clarification and explanation of the character and meaning ofa (section of a) presentation, I sometimes refer back to the previous chapters. Somerepetition is therefore unavoidable.173