All war is deception.
–Sun Tzu

The most famous and perhaps most studied book on military conflict is Sun Tzu’s The Art of War (6th century BC). The metaphoric title is in fact a translator’s conceit (the literal title is “Sun Tzu’s Military Strategy”), but the translated title is irrevocably tied to the book (in Western minds at least). The persistence of the book’s relevance with its adopted title raises the question, can one legitimately, or at least “profitably,” think of war as art? (more…)