The Stockdale Center for Ethical Leadership

The Discourses of Epictetus with Running Commentary - Book I, Chapter 5.

Against the Academics

This chapter is another where Epictetus is having some fun at the expense of rival philosophical schools. He is here addressing himself to what, in that day, was a long-standing vein of philosophical argumentation inside Plato’s Academy and among some Stoics. In the approximately 300 years it had been open, and like any institution, the Academy had gone through phases and fads. These had developed aspects of its founder’s thought in various ways. (Philosophy is prey to vogue, just like everything else out there.) Here we see Epictetus poking fun at a skeptical strain of argumentation that was influential from the time of Arcesilaus. It’s a line of argumentation that ultimately was most famously developed by Rene’ Descartes in the 17th Century as part of his ‘method of hyperbolic doubt’, in what has come to be labeled ‘the dream argument’

https://www.usna.edu/Ethics/blog/2020/Epictetuss_Discourses_with_Running_Commentary_-_Book_I,_Chapter_5.php

Podcast: Philosophy at the Movies - Oppenheimer (51:45)

https://www.usna.edu/Ethics/programs/BoeingLab/RadioStockdale/STOCKDALE_MINUTE/Philosophy_and_The_Movies/index.php

What does this 2023 film tell us about its various characters, and the challenges involved in running the Manhattan Project, not only for Oppenheimer, but General Leslie Groves? How does the film explore the tragic flaws in Oppenheimer and his nemesis, Lewis Strauss? Why does the film focus more on this aspect of his story and its two main characters’ tragic flaws, rather than the moral questions surrounding the atomic bombs? Why does the film make short work of the Interim Committee meetings, where the decisions were made regarding ‘the gadgets,’ and why does it portray Truman and Stimson as being shallow, political and callous with regard to the decision? Were the concerns with Soviet espionage in the Manhattan Project justified? Were concerns for Oppenheimer’s loyalty justified? What does the success of this film tell us about audience demand for historical films?

https://youtu.be/6W_AciZimVs?si=8wSx1NPqkGz02L4Q

Leadership Development the USNA Way centers on creating an organization where everyone who is part of the Naval Academy from midshipmen, to those in academics, to those in Bancroft Hall, to those leading on the sports fields, to those who support our ability to operate as a cohesive system in the dining hall and beyond, understand USNA’s fundamental purpose and how we achieve that purpose. Ultimately, Leadership Development the USNA Way is the organizing architecture that structures how we develop midshipmen and all those that support the development of midshipmen - faculty, staff, and coaches.

Leadership Development the USNA Way Leadership Development the USNA Way centers on creating an organization where everyone who is part of the Naval Academy from midshipmen, to those in academic...

The Discourses of Epictetus with Running Commentary - Book I, Chapter 4

This chapter gives us a fascinating and amusing look into the Stoic school at Nicopolis, and we learn that there are good reasons for the existence of certain features of stereotypes that have always been associated with academics. Boiled down, we here have Epictetus’s portrait of the time-worn contrast between ‘book smarts’ and ‘street smarts’ as it were; Stoic theory and practice!

https://www.usna.edu/Ethics/blog/2020/Epictetuss_Discourses_with_Running_Commentary_-_Book_I,_Chapter_4.php

🇺🇸 💜 On National Purple Heart Day, we honor the courage and sacrifice of our service members who have been wounded or killed in action.

Dive into the story of Adam Walker, a Purple Heart recipient, as he reflects on the profound impact of peer leadership in his article "Don’t Imitate, but Emulate: Peer Leadership’s Lasting Impression."

Learn about the influential leaders who shaped his 25-year journey as a Marine infantryman. 🏅

Read more: https://buff.ly/3SExzsu

Epictetus's Discourses with Running Commentary: Book I, Chapter 3

https://www.usna.edu/Ethics/blog/2020/Epictetuss_Discourses_with_Running_Commentary_-_Book_I,_Chapter_3.php

The Superintendent’s Combo will perform at the Annapolis City Dock tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. Come out and enjoy a wonderful evening of music by the water!

U.S Navy WAVES on Top Secret Duty in America’s Heartland In 1943, the U.S. Navy began sending groups of WAVES by train from Washington, DC, to Dayton, Ohio, to work on a top secret project.Due to the highly secretive nature of their assignment, the WAVES

Keeping the “Best and Brightest” Junior Officers in the U.S. Military - War on the Rocks How would our world be different if Douglas MacArthur, Chester Nimitz, John Lejeune, and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin had resigned after five or 10 years in

Podcast: Philosophy at the Movies - Captain America, Winter Soldier – (43:32)

https://www.usna.edu/Ethics/programs/BoeingLab/RadioStockdale/STOCKDALE_MINUTE/Philosophy_and_The_Movies/index.php

What does this 2014 film based upon the Marvel Comic character, Captain America, tell us about counterintelligence and counter-terror surveillance? How does the film cash in on conspiracy theories using the idea that the secret organization, "Hydra," is in control of the major governments of the world, as well as terror organizations? How does the film explore the ethical challenges involved in the balancing of free society and security? How does the film explore the issues surrounding military use of human enhancement? How does the character Bucky illustrate? How does the film portray the ethical issues involved in whistle-blowing? How does the film explore Captain America’s status as a symbol during WWII? Why does he feel guilt for his role as contrasted with that of his sidekick Bucky? Does this superhero’s being portrayed and taking part in major battles during WWII undermine public appreciation for the front-line soldiers who actually fought that war?

Stockdale Center Leads Publication of NATO Leadership and Ethics Curriculum

Over the past three years an international team of ethicists and military practitioners has collaborated on a leadership and ethics curriculum for use in training NATO forces. The results are now a part of the extensive education and training curricula provided to all member nations for use with their armed forces as they prepare for the challenges of today’s operating environment.
The 18-member team was spearheaded in this effort by 5 members of the Stockdale Center’s leadership, including Director, Dr. Joe Thomas, Director of Research, Dr. Ed Barrett, Director of Influencer Development Dr. Celeste Raver, and Distinguished Chair of Leadership, LtGen (retired) John Wissler, and Dr. Kevin Mullaney, Director of Leadership Research and Assessment. Joining them in this effort were Dr. Andrew Ledford, and Dr. Doug Rau from the Leadership Ethics and Law Department of the US Naval Academy.

The volume is an extensive and exhaustive reference work, which also provides a detailed syllabus and probing discussion prompts for use by military professionals worldwide.

Tom Goffus, NATO Assistant Secretary General Operations Division introduces the July 2024 volume in this way:

“Leadership is the lifeblood of any organization, particularly in the profession of arms. The launch of this reference curriculum stands as a testament to our shared belief in the profound impact of principled leadership on mission success. The prevailing security challenges notwithstanding, we remain committed as an alliance to the continuous development of leaders that are grounded in the ethical foundations of the profession of arms.

Developed by a multinational team of subject matter experts, this curriculum serves as a reference document for Allied and partner countries seeking to impart and refresh knowledge about leadership and ethics within their professional military education (PME) institutions. While no single document can encompass the entire spectrum of topics in this field, the essential topics in this reference curriculum provide a valuable starting point. They ensure shared habits of mind and foster the development of personnel capable of leading individuals and organizations while upholding the core values of our profession. I am confident that this latest addition to the suite of reference curriculums, developed in conjunction with the Partnership for Peace Consortium of Defense Academies and Security Studies Institutes, will contribute significantly to the promotion and nurturing of even stronger leaders across the Alliance and NATO’s partners. My sincere thanks to all of those that have contributed generously of their time and expertise, especially during this challenging period in our history, to make this document possible.”

Congratulations to our US Naval Academy team for completion of this major project, which will have lasting influence as NATO confronts the continued operational challenges of our world. The full text of the Leadership and Ethics Reference Curriculum can be found at the link below:
https://www.nato.int/nato_static_fl2014/assets/pdf/2024/7/pdf/240719-deep-leadership-ethics-curr.pdf

https://youtu.be/QJMnuBwJSaA?si=Wq7_0mCb9dR2mQWh

Stockdale Center Explores Artificial Intelligence - Episode Seven

In this episode social and emotional implications of AI and algorithms are explored. Chaplain Loren Crone joins Dr. Joe Thomas in exploring the question of the connection between the ubiquitous use of algorithms in the online environment, social media, and in various phone "aps" and the recent uptick in psychological and emotional issues in young people today, and in particular, in those that make up the brigade of midshipmen at the Naval Academy. Dr. Thomas and Lieutenant Commander Crone explore the leadership challenges presented by this ubiquity.
Transcript

Stockdale Center Explores Artificial Intelligence - Episode Seven In this episode social and emotional implications of AI and algorithms are explored. Chaplain Loren Crone joins Dr. Joe Thomas in exploring the question of t...

Podcast: Philosophy at the Movies - On the Beach, 1959 (46:58)

https://www.usna.edu/Ethics/programs/BoeingLab/RadioStockdale/STOCKDALE_MINUTE/Philosophy_and_The_Movies/index.php

What does this 1959 film, based upon the Nevil Shute novel of the same name, tell us about the threat of thermonuclear war, and thought surrounding the notion of doomsday machines? How does the story relate to other films that explore the theme, most notably Stanley Kubrick’s Dr. Strangelove? How does the story develop the idea of the so-called “cobalt bomb”? How do the American naval captain Dwight Towers and his crew cope with his knowledge that his family back in the United States has most likely perished? How do the Australians he lives and works with, respond to the fact that they have limited time before they die? The film portrays mankind as ‘keeping calm and carrying on’ in the face of imminent extinction nine months hence. Is this realistic? How does Shute’s story contrast with other works of post-apocalyptic fiction that portray chaos, the breakdown of social order, and a Hobbesian ‘war of all against all’? Which prediction is closer to being an accurate picture of human nature in such dire circumstances? Why has anxiety about the prospect of major thermonuclear war dissipated in the eight decades since Hiroshima and Nagasaki? Does the fact that no such war has occurred vindicate the thought of such strategic thinkers as Herman Kahn and Edward Teller? Why or why not?

🚢 On July 8, 1879, the USS Jeannette, under Lt Cmdr George DeLong (Class of 1865), embarked on a daring journey to the North Pole. Trapped and destroyed by ice, DeLong heroically led the survivors across Siberia, but sadly, most perished in the extreme cold. ❄️

https://www.usna.edu/Ethics/blog/2020/Epictetuss_Discourses_with_Running_Commentary_-_Book_I,_Chapter_1.php

The Discourses of Epictetus with Running Commentary - Book I, Chapter 1 The Discourses of Epictetus with Running Commentary - Book I, Chapter 1 page for Stockdale Center for Ethical Leadership at USNA.edu. Updated Thu Jul 11 11:31:47 EDT 2024.

Epictetus on the need to think about impressions before accepting them.
Our first impressions are not always true or accurate.

Learn more from Epictetus here: https://orionphilosophy.com/epictetus/

After the destroyer USS Strong was sunk by a torpedo in 1943, former Alabama quarterback LT Hugh Miller washed up on the Japanese-held Arundel Island. Though wounded, alone, and without a rifle, he launched a month-long guerrilla campaign using grenades he found on a dead Japanese soldier. He attacked patrols and destroyed several machine gun nests before being rescued by a U.S. Navy J2F Duck float plane. Awarded the Navy Cross and two Silver Stars, Miller also was recommended for the Medal of Honor but it was never granted.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

New statue in Coronado honors military wives in San Diego The statue features four women who represent the League and includes a gap for a fifth person to stand in, symbolizing support for their cause.

Class of 2028 Swearing In Ceremony

Today I am truly honored to become the caretaker of this piecr of history. Commander Crayton was one of the First 40 and ws repatriated on C-141 (S/N 660177), The Haoi Taxi.