Thoughts of a Philosophical Fighter Pilot (Reprint ed.)

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Practical stocism

Put on your short list of books to live by

A Great Thought-Provoking Book

philosophy in the REAL world

Thoughts of a Philosophical Fighter Pilot (Reprint ed.)
Jim Stockdale
Manufacturer: Hoover Institution Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0817993924

Book Description

Vice Admiral Stockdale was on active duty in the navy for thirty-seven years. As a fighter pilot operating from an aircraft carrier, he was shot down over North Vietnam in 1965. As the senior naval officer among the prisoners of war in Hanoi for seven and a half years, he was tortured fifteen times, put in leg irons for two years, and confined in solitary for four years. This experience was the crucible for his philosophical thought on issues of character, leadership, integrity, personal and public virtue, and ethics. Much of his philosophy is drawn from the stoic philosophers, especially Epictetus, whom he had read before his capture. The selections in this volume converge around the central theme of how man can rise with dignity to prevail in the face of adversity—lessons just as valid for the challenges of present-day life as they were for the author's Vietnam experience.

Customer Reviews:

Practical stocism.......2006-09-19

I am not qualified to review Admiral Stockdale's work. He is an officer and scholar of the highest order. I am rating it as five stars, not because of my opinion of his writing, but because of my conviction that this book serves as a starting point for learning about one's self. This collection of essays and speeches is a college-level survey course in what it means to be a warrior, a leader, and a man. Additionally, the book is an excellent bibliography for anyone looking for recommended reading on moral philosophy. I recommend this to all military officers, as well as anyone who wishes to overcome a "victim" mentality.

Put on your short list of books to live by.......2002-11-23

Stockdale mixes philosophy with his hard-earned wisdom as a POW in this incredible, honest inspiring book. Better than 99% of all self-help books. Read it, live it.

A Great Thought-Provoking Book.......2002-09-26

I do not normally choose to read a book based on the author's resume', but Stockdale's credentials (retired thirty-three year U.S. Navy Vice Admiral (3-stars), spent over seven years as the highest ranking U.S. prisoner of war (POW) in Vietnam, Medal of Honor recipient, 1992 Reform Party vice presidential candidate, president of the Naval War College and the Citadel, holder of eleven honorary doctoral degrees, experimental test pilot, author, professor), compelled me to read his book. I am very glad I followed my gut instincts, for Stockdale wrote one of the best thought-provoking books about life, character, and leadership that I have ever read.

This book is a collection of essays, speeches, and articles by Stockdale (and one by a Stockdale friend and colleague) about his many and diverse experiences and how they have influenced his personal philosophies about life, character, and leadership. Many of his key points are repeated throughout the book, but the different purposes and audiences for the essays, speeches, and articles prevented those key points from becoming stale.

Stockdale's key points included, but were not limited to: character is demonstrated under pressure; his POW experience was the defining event in his life, a blessing (that I believe most non-POWs (like myself) will have trouble understanding or appreciating); the value of an education in philosophic classics (i.e. Stoicism, Epictetus, the Enchiridion, etc.); his first-hand accounts of the events leading up to the 1964 Gulf of Tonkin Resolution which officially began our involvement in the Vietnam War (I was surprised); how the lack of character and integrity in senior U.S. leadership prolonged the Vietnam War and ultimately led to defeat and betrayal; and how Vietnam's U.S. POWs differed from our POWs in other wars.

Not one of the easiest books to read, but certainly one of my most inspiring and stimulating readings. I believe this book is one that I will use as a frequent reference, and it is already influencing my personal research and reading selections.

philosophy in the REAL world.......2000-06-13

I was introduced to Epictetus and his follower Marcus Aurelius (yes, the Emperor from Gladiator the movie!) in the book by Tom Wolfe: "A Man In Full". Briefly , in this Dickensian style novel, one of the characters with a hard luck life and misunderstood personality comes across "meditations" by Marcus Aurelius (yes he DID exist) and this inspires him quite profoundly and empowers him, the effects of which reveberate through the rest of the novel. Intrigued I bought meditations and then the original stoic text: "Handbook" by Epictetus. The introductions of both refer to this book by Admiral Stockdale. The philosophy stunned me with its insights into OUR challenges that we face everyday in our careers, relationships and friendships. But to REALLY see how powerful this philosophy is, is to read this book. Our trials and tribulatons of urban life are nothing compared to Admiral Stockdale's experience of being a POW for several years, tortured and humiliated during the Vietnam war. The insights of how epictetus helped in his (successful) effort to survive & thrive, make this philosphy come "alive" beyond mere "deep words" and UNREALISTIC conclusions that most of us believe philosophy is. If you thought that, read this. If philosophy could make a "gungho" fighter pilot get through what he did, imagine just how REAL it must be.

THOUGHTS OF A PHILOSOPHICAL FIGHTER PILOT, Signed By Jim Stockdale and Sybil Stockdale

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THOUGHTS OF A PHILOSOPHICAL FIGHTER PILOT, Signed By Jim Stockdale and Sybil Stockdale
James Bond Stockdale
Manufacturer: Hoover Institution Press, Stanford University
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000VB9JTQ

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

China's Military in Transition (Studies on Contemporary China (Oxford Paperback))

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China's Military in Transition (Studies on Contemporary China (Oxford Paperback))

Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0198292619

Book Description

China's Military in Transition is the most comprehensive study of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) ever published. Drawing upon a broad range of documentary sources and interviews, many of the world's leading specialists on the Chinese military provide in-depth and expert analyses of China's military modernization programme. This unprecedented volume covers many aspects of the PLA on the eve of the twenty-first century: party-army relations and the role of the PLA in domestic Chinese politics; the changing officer corps; the paramilitary People's Armed Police; troop reorganizations and the demobilization programme; the national security and defence policy decision-making processes; the military-industrial complex and defence industrial conversion; defence finance, budget, and training; weapons procurement; nuclear force modernization; threat perceptions; power projection capabilities; and the military balance in the Taiwan Strait.

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China's Military in Transition -
Editor - David Shambaugh
Manufacturer: Clarendon Press -
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OMLRSS

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China's Military, The PLA in Transition
Srkanth Kondapalli
Manufacturer: South Asia Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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A reassessment of the role of China's army and the parameters in which the future directions would unfold. Also attention to reorganization of army, defence industries, control and command systems

China's transition into the 21st century U.S. and PRC perspectives (SuDoc D 101.146:2001037711)

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China's transition into the 21st century U.S. and PRC perspectives (SuDoc D 101.146:2001037711)
David L. Shambaugh
Manufacturer: Strategic Studies Institute, U.S. Army War College
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

The Pla and Chinese Society in Transition

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The Pla and Chinese Society in Transition

Manufacturer: National Defense University (NDU)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1579060617

Professionalization of the Senior Chinese Officer Corps: Trends and Implications

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Professionalization of the Senior Chinese Officer Corps: Trends and Implications
James C. Mulvenon
Manufacturer: RAND Corporation
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0833025430

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This report examines long-term trends in Chinese military institutional development and assesses their impacts upon the future evolution of the People's Liberation Army (PLA).

Flanagan, Stephen J., and Michael E. Marti, eds. The People's Liberation Army and China in Transition.(Book Review): An article from: Naval War College Review

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Flanagan, Stephen J., and Michael E. Marti, eds. The People's Liberation Army and China in Transition.(Book Review): An article from: Naval War College Review
Bruce Elleman
Manufacturer: U.S. Naval War College
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

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This digital document is an article from Naval War College Review, published by U.S. Naval War College on March 22, 2005. The length of the article is 1035 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Flanagan, Stephen J., and Michael E. Marti, eds. The People's Liberation Army and China in Transition.(Book Review)
Author: Bruce Elleman
Publication: Naval War College Review (Refereed)
Date: March 22, 2005
Publisher: U.S. Naval War College
Volume: 58 Issue: 2 Page: 150(3)

Article Type: Book Review

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CHINAS MILITARY IN TRANSITION
David L. Shambaugh
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press(UK)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OKXJN6

Book Description

Many critics attack federal judges as anti-democratic elitists, activists out of step with the mainstream of American thought. But others argue that judges should stand alone as the ultimate guardians of American values, placing principle before the views of the people. In The Most Democratic Branch, Jeffrey Rosen disagrees with both assertions. Contrary to what interest groups may claim, he contends that, from the days of John Marshall right up to the present, the federal courts by and large have reflected the opinions of the mainstream. More important, he argues that the Supreme Court is most successful when it defers to the constitutional views of the American people, as represented most notably by Congress and the Presidency. And on the rare occasion when they departed from the consensus, the result has often been a disaster. To illustrate, Rosen provides a penetrating look at some of the most important Supreme Court cases in American history--cases involving racial equality, affirmative action, abortion, gay rights and gay marriage, the right to die, electoral disputes, and civil liberties in wartime. Rosen shows that the most notorious constitutional decisions in American history--the ones that have been most strenuously criticized, such as Dred Scott or Roe v. Wade--have gone against mainstream opinion. By contrast, the most successful decisions--from Marbury v. Madison to Brown v. Board of Education--have avoided imposing constitutional principles over the wishes of the people. Rosen concludes that the judiciary works best when it identifies the constitutional principles accepted by a majority of Americans, and enforces them unequivocally as fundamental law. Jeffrey Rosen is one of the most respected legal experts writing today, a regular contributor to The New York Times Magazine and the Legal Affairs Editor of The New Republic. The provocative arguments that he puts forth here are bound to fuel heated debate at a time when the federal judiciary is already the focus of fierce criticism.

Customer Reviews:

The Proper Role for the Supreme Court.......2006-06-08

Given all the hoopla about whether the federal courts have exceeded their proper boundaries, including recent threats by House and Senate Republicans to retaliate for the Terri Schiavo decisions, it seems an opportune time to consider what is the appropriate role for the Supreme Court in our democratic pollitical system. Jeffrey Rosen's book should contribute mightily toward that end. Rosen writes as a George Washington University law professor for the law reviews; serves as legal editor of "The New Republic"; and manages to write important articles for general publications, such as his recent article in "The Atlantic" entitled "The Day After Roe." So he is very effective at explaining legal concepts for a general audience, for whom this book is designed.

Rosen's solution to the so-called "counter-majoritarian difficulty" is generally for the Court to avoid making decisions that are not supported by public consensus. This position raises a number of immediate difficulties--two name two: (1) how is the Court qualified to make such determinations?; and (2) what good is the Supreme Court if all it does is go with the majority? Rosen then spends five chapters recounting situations in which the Court did not comply with this mandate (what we used to refer to as "self-inflicted wounds"), such as Dred Scott, Roe and (of course) Bush v. Gore, where the Court paid the price for attempting to lead rather than reflect public opinion. One can, of course, think of cases where the Court did successfully lead, e.g., Miranda, but nonetheless Rosen's position here is a well-recognized one. My only complaint is that he covers so many cases under a variety of topics that I would assume the general reader might find his head spinning after ingesting this huge dose of con law.

It is in the final chapter ("Constitutional Futurology, or What are the Courts Good For?") that Rosen makes his most substantial contribution. Here he neatly summarizes some of the most cogent arguments (Holmes, Hand, Frankfurter, and others) for meaningful judicial restraint. Particularly important in this regard are the benefits stemming from Bickel's concept of a constitutional dialogue between the Court and the policy-making branches, as contrasted with the adverse consequences of "judicial unilaterism." Rosen has some insightful comments on how judicial restraint should be exercised. I ended up feeling that had Rosen devoted more space to this kind of analysis, rather than running through so many con law cases, the book would have been stronger. Nonetheless, a fine introduction to this complicated issue for the general reader, who -- like the rest of us -- clearly needs to become better informed on this important topic.

Advance Praise for The Most Democratic Branch.......2006-05-23

"This book will be, and should be, widely read. The proper relationship of constitutional law to politics is one of the most controversial issues in American life today, and Rosen understands that relationship better than anyone. Filled with important insights--and real wisdom--The Most Democratic Branch is simply terrific. For those seeking a path out of the judicial polarization of the past decade, you need look no farther: Rosen shows the way." -- William J. Stuntz, Harvard Law School

"Jeffrey Rosen defies everything you think you know about the court with a counter-intuitive argument of great power concerning both how the court has behaved in the past and how it should behave in the future. He attacks our heroic visions of the Supreme Court as a grand check against majority rule and recasts its general history as one of deference to the constitutional vision of majorities. Rosen's is a theory of adjudication for grown-ups; those at once concerned to limit judicial power and impatient with shrill doctrinal prescriptions for doing so. An important and impressive work from one of America's most insightful legal commentators." -- Benjamin Wittes, Editorial Writer, The Washington Post

"Jeffrey Rosen is America's most insightful public commentator on the Supreme Court and the Constitution. Beautifully written and persuasively argued, The Most Democratic Branch makes constitutional law accessible to ordinary citizens while simultaneously challenging legal experts to rethink their views on the Court's role in American democracy." -- Michael J. Klarman, author of the Bancroft Prize-winning, From Jim Crow to Civil Rights

"Jeffrey Rosen makes a powerful and accessible case for a restrained judicial role, one that will challenge liberal proponents of Warren Court activism and conservative proponents of Rehnquist Court activism. His work combines sound historical scholarship with important prescriptions for contemporary constitutional politics." -- Mark A. Graber, University of Maryland

The Most Democratic Branch: How the Courts Serve America.(Book review): An article from: Michigan Law Review

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The Most Democratic Branch: How the Courts Serve America.(Book review): An article from: Michigan Law Review
Neal Devins
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Michigan Law Review, published by Thomson Gale on April 1, 2007. The length of the article is 10140 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: The Most Democratic Branch: How the Courts Serve America.(Book review)
Author: Neal Devins
Publication: Michigan Law Review (Magazine/Journal)
Date: April 1, 2007
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 105 Issue: 6 Page: 1333(19)

Article Type: Book review

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The People's Court.(The Most Democratic Branch: How the Courts Serve America)(Book review): An article from: Commonweal

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The People's Court.(The Most Democratic Branch: How the Courts Serve America)(Book review): An article from: Commonweal
Lawrence Douglas
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

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This digital document is an article from Commonweal, published by Thomson Gale on February 9, 2007. The length of the article is 1175 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: The People's Court.(The Most Democratic Branch: How the Courts Serve America)(Book review)
Author: Lawrence Douglas
Publication: Commonweal (Magazine/Journal)
Date: February 9, 2007
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 134 Issue: 3 Page: 27(2)

Article Type: Book review

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Book Description

In all societies, the main causes of environmental degradation are resource extraction and the generation of wastes by households and industries. Realistic strategies for mitigating these impacts require an understanding of both the technologies by which resources are transformed into products, and the lifestyle choices that shape household use of such products.

Structural Economics provides a framework for developing and evaluating such strategies. It represents an important new approach to describing household lifestyles and technological choices, the relationships between them, and their impact on resource use and waste. In this volume, economist Faye Duchin provides for the first time an authoritative and comprehensive introduction to the field, including its social as well as its technological dimensions. The presentation is accessible to non-specialists while also including a substantial amount of new research.

Duchin's primary achievement is to integrate a qualitatively rich understanding of technologies and lifestyles into a flexible, quantitative framework grounded in established principles of input-output economics and social accounting. She uses tools and insights from areas as diverse as demography and market research to conceptualize and describe different categories of households and their lifestyles. She also draws on the expertise of engineers and physical scientists to examine the potential for technological change. The framework Duchin develops permits the rigorous and detailed analysis of specific scenarios for alternative technologies and changes in lifestyle. The author uses the case of Indonesia for illustration and to refine new concepts by testing their relevance against factual information.

The new field of structural economics represents an important step forward in the effort to apply the power of science to solving the problems of modern societies. This book should prove invaluable to students and scholars of economics, sociology, or anthropology, as well as environmental scientists, policymakers at all levels, and anyone concerned with a practical interpretation of the elusive concept of sustainable development.

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