Sun Tzu’s treatise The Art of War upon a first reading seems to be primarily a military treatist, above all concerned with attempting to establish a rigorous and almost scientific theory of the entirely chaotic phenomenon of war. Nevertheless, the way in which Sun Tzu structures his text and the motifs he touches upon transcends the genre of a military treatise: in other words, Sun Tzu’s work can be applied to the formulation of a strategy for any situation in which there appears an element of conflict. This element of conflict does not have to be a literal conflict, but can instead refer to any endeavor in which, one the on hand a goal is set, and, on the other hand, there exist certain obstacles which make the reaching of this goal uncertain.
This type of utilization of Sun Tzu’s work in a non-military setting is arguably justified at the very outset of the treatise, at the point when Sun Tzu (2002) lays out the “five constant factors” (p. 35) that determine the art of war, and, in a broader sense, any type of “conflict” or struggle in which aims and obstacles coexist. These five factors are listed as follows: “(1) The Moral Law; (2) Heaven; (3) Earth; (4) The Commander; (5) Method and discipline.” (Sun Tzu, 2002, p. 35) Some of these categories are obviously literal, such as method and discipline, while some are more abstract, such as heaven and earth. Neverthless, Sun Tzu’s treatise is arguably entirely related to developing these points in relation to a conflict situation.
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Interpreting these points is thus crucial to applying them to conflict or the goal-obstacle paradigm. Firstly, the moral law here seems to refer to an ethical principle. Even in conflict situations, there are therefore certain immutable ethical principles that we should adhere to. Heaven is more abstract. Sun Tzu (2002) writes that it “signifies night and day, cold and heat, times and seasons.” (p. 37) In other words, alongside the moral and ethical order, there is a greater universal order. Earth is more directly related to personal existence, in as much for Sun Tzu (2002) places under this category the chance “of life and death.” (p. 37) Therefore, heaven and earth relate in terms of a greater order and a subjective everyday order. The Commander is explicitly explained in terms of key virtues, such as wisdom and courage. (Sun Tzu, 2002, p. 37) Lastly, method and discipline are structures that should be adhered to, although Sun Tzu refers to them in a military context, they can be easily contextualized in terms of the discipline needed to achieve one’s goals.
Applying these basic military strategic concepts to my own personal goals, there is a clear relevance that appears to me. Firstly, let us highlight my goal to complete my education. Obviously, this is not a goal that will be necessarily achieved. It requires planning and work. But this is precisely where Sun Tzu’s strategies can be efficiently applied. There is a moral order at stake in studying: there is an ethics of studying that means one gets the most out of their education, such as not plagiarizing, learning good work habits, etc. The Heaven represents the structure of the greater school system, and for example, the hiearchies and curriculum structure. I have to be aware of this structure in order to navigate my way successfully through it. At the same time, there is earth, which means my personal relationship to these structures: one kind of relationship do I want to have to the school system, should I take a distance to it or be active? Here, it would seem that activity is necessary for success, engaging professors when having problems with schoolwork or other co-students. The Commander represents the ideal student: the type of student I would like to become, embodying a commitment to realizing my goal. Lastly, there is the crucial category of method and discipline: studying and writings texts is a practice like any other, and having discipline and specific approaches to school work add to the chances of successfully completing my courses.
The reading of Sun Tzu’s text as a solely military text is superficial. If one investigates the deep meaning of the points Sun Tzu develops one realizes their universality. Accordingly, they can be applied to situations in which goals are to be realized. This is why the text resonated with me, especially in the sections I have identified: they represent an aid in constructing a strategy to succeed.
- Sun-Tzu. (2002) The Art of War. (J. Minford, Trans.) New York, NY: Viking Penguin.
(Original work published 6th century B.C.)
