The Cognitive Domain of War (The Changing Face of War)

Operating on the premise that successful war strategy begins in the cognitive domain—the place where we perceive, feel, think, and decide, The Cognitive Domain of War develops a new theory of war. It explores what the behavioral and social sciences reveal about the link between intuition, human action, and wartime strategy; analyzes the implications of those discoveries for war fighting; and relates the findings to how we must rethink tactics and strategy in the face of a new kind of enemy.

Western military thought has been dominated by the rational, analytic approach characterized by the "military decision making process" taught at all staff schools and war colleges. This book surveys biology, human behavior, and problem-solving models—called heuristics—to develop alternative ways of dealing with emerging threats. Utilizing findings from field research and case studies of warfare throughout history, the author develops specific concepts that will allow us to wage war more effectively.