Should soldiers be trained in philosophy?

Question

Like, if we get the basic soldier and equip him with a part time ongoing study in philosophy, not only would they be of immense value as role models but they could act independantly of control. A solider who can think...

Answer 1

The Samurai are the ultimate mixture of philosophy and skill. It is not that soldiers shouldn't think, but that they should be taught to think as soldiers.

Answer 2

Soldiers do get "training" in some branches of philosophy. Ethics and morality for example. Officers have degrees and so would have an opportunity to take philosophy courses, but non-commissioned soldiers are expected to follow orders, so it isn't in the best interest of military commanders to have soldiers who can think entirely as independents. That's why they recruit them so young, right out of the public school institutions, before they have become independently thinking individuals.
Despite advancements in military science, war itself still remains an area of interest for philosophers, since the means never justifies the end, yet people still fight wars.
I have always believed philosophy should be offered beginning at about 4th grade in the public school system, if we're going to continue to have public schools. If we did that, it would be more difficult to use religion and propaganda to manipulate the population. Maybe that's why it isn't offered.

Answer 3

I honestly don't think generals like soldiers who can think too much. In fact, a great part of military training goes towards eliminating individuality. Soldiers are expected to obey orders without questioning them. The uniforms, the shaved hair, the communal living in barracks, all are also, to some degree, aimed at eliminating individuality.
The purpose of armies is ultimately war and killing. Now, I don't want to get into the debate as to whether there can be a just war or not, but the fact remains war is the act of imposing a group of humans will on another through force - deadly force, as a matter of fact. When you send people to do that kind of job, you don't want them to think too much about the moral and metaphysical implications of what they're being ordered to do.

Answer 4

Anyone who believes that modern soldiers aren't supposed to think and act independently is clinging to an anachronistic and outdated notion of military personnel as mindless automatons.

(The Pentagon actually has an official term for soldiers who can't think. They're called "casualties.")

Answer 5

The problem with your idea is that it runs diametrically opposite what armies want. Armies don't want their soldiers to ponder the morality or "rightness" of the orders they're given. Armies are not training thinkers -- they're training "do-ers."

The whole hierarchy of military discipline requires soldiers to automatically assume that an order is lawful, and they should obey it without question. Developing critical thinking skills in your armies is tantamount to a breakdown in discipline and control.

Answer 6

Sure, I bet they could be the most profound existential thinkers, since they are confronted with with issues of life and death everyday.

Answer 7

It would be quite safe only if the soldier is able to maintain obedience too !

Answer 8

they already are being trained in philosophy, the army is one of the biggest mind control organizations that there is

Answer 9

yeah look at Genghus Khan

Answer 10

no way...if soldiers become philosophical well have no1 to kill themselves...i honestly dont mean any offence.