Aron and Clausewitz: an epistemological interpretation

• Grant number: 15/10347-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: September 01, 2015
• End date: February 29, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Humanities - Political Science - International Politics
• Principal Investigator: Rodrigo Duarte Fernandes dos Passos
• Grantee: Matheus de Freitas Cecílio
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Filosofia e Ciências (FFC). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Marília. Marília , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The mature work of the prussian general Carl von Clausewitz, despite of being extremely important for the study of International Relations, sociology and war; it is often misinterpreted. In vulgarized terms, the thought of Clausewitz is transformed into a belligerent doctrine based on bloodshed and on reckless attack. The vulgarized misinterpretation of Clausewitz is present in the work of many scholars who had some kind of contact with the book "On War". In the field of the modern subject of International Relations, the French sociologist Raymond Aron has been, perhaps, the scholar who has dedicated most time and intelectual effort to the study of Clausewitz's work. Even though he has contribuited, in part, to this vulgarized analysis in the first place, most notably in his book "Peace and War: A Theory of International Relations", Aron would, years later, conduct a more mature and complex analysis, even dedicating a whole book to the study of the prussian general, "Clausewitz: Philosopher of war". The research proposed in this paper aims to explore these different interpretative moments of Raymond Aron´s thought while also exploring some of the main and most important Clausewitzian's concepts and ideas.