SYNERGIA FOUNDATION NOVEMBER 2020 | EDITION I | WEEKLY A COMMANDO RETHINKS LOGIC & REASON EXCLUSIVE INSIGHTS BY DORON AVITAL MUST READ EXPERT INSIGHTS DAP 2020 Vice Admiral D.M. Deshpande Sanjay Mitra Subhash Chandra MORE AVSM, VSM (Retired) and Former Defence Former Secretary, THAN the former Controller of Secretary, Department of SUSHI TEMPERING Warship Production and Government Defence Production, ON HIS EXPECTATIONS Acquisition in the Indian Navy of India Government of India PLATE EDITION I p2 NOVEMBER 2020 SYNERGIA FOUNDATION Logic in action Nothing is more difficult, and therefore more precious, than to be able to decide. Napoleon Bonaparte As a young boy, I was al- ing special operation? the concept of “The Stan- ways mesmerized by stories Not accidently, and in fact dard”. I argue that the false of great men and women of as consequence, I have cho- model of planning has its action at fateful cross-roads sen a course in life that chal- roots in an attitude of an un- of decision-making. Then, like lenged me to visit the poles compromising adherence to as today, I felt the full weight of both theory and practice. the power of literal obedi- of the moment of truth as it I set myself on a mission to ence to standards and rules. Doron Avital confronts the individual, the unravel the tension between The standard, or what is out- a paratrooper in the IDF, has man or woman of action, the contemplative inquiry, lined by a rule as prescrib- held key positions in the IDF Intelligence (1977-1995) culmi- with the imminent neces- supposedly theoretical, aim- ing a future course of action, nating in the position of Chief- sity to decide. Alongside, as ing at the logical structure is seen as an answer to the Commanding-Officer of Israel’s I was climbing up the ladder of things, and the uncom- fundamental tension be- renowned Sayeret Matkal. A PhD from Columbia University, of education, I found myself promising test of life and ac- tween theory (planning) and he joined politics in 2009, win- just as well captivated by the tion. The puzzle of the gap practice (execution). ning a seat in the 18th Knesset great intellectual stories of between theory and practice I argue in contrast that as a MP of the Kadima party and served in the Foreign & Security our times, in particular 20th has become ever since the the standard does not pro- Committee. This article describes century analytic philosophy guiding question of my life. duce an answer but rather in brief his ideas that have been discussed in greater detail in his and, at its core, the machin- What is planning? I con- what I call: “A Well-Defined book “Logic in Action”. He elabo- ery of modern logic. How do front two approaches to Question”. In essence, it is a rated on these ideas at the 89th then the cool contemplative planning. The first is the one meticulously well-planned Synergia forum. modes of the philosophical I saw as a mission to my- invitation to exercise a fresh and analytic outlooks that self to cultivate in my many judgment. A judgement that hese thoughts were are better fitting of the phi- years of military service. The has as an anchor the default born on the battle- losopher’s armchair at the second is the one I saw as answer that the standard field and in nights fireplace hang together with representing a deep-rooted produces but is open to ex- of secretive special the heat of the battlefield or fallacy that holds a firm grip tension as it confronts the operationsT all around the the angst of the on today’s conventional wis- new frame of reference of Middle East, as well as in the ticking clock of dom about planning. To fur- the test of reality corridors and lecture halls time left to the ther examine the logic of the I present a new tool for of Western Academia best completion competing models, I was re- planning and execution: schools. of a dar- quired to analyze “The Polygon of Risks” or EDITION I NOVEMBER 2020 p3 SYNERGIA FOUNDATION “The Polygon of Execution”. against a possible failure. is on the line and from which The Polygon is a geometric Once the overall risk is not there is no turning back. Its illustration of the underlying mitigated by way of collab- nature is of “One Shot, One tension that exists between orative joint executional dia- Opportunity”. This must shed all dimensions of the opera- logue, the process that leads true light on the analysis of tional project. The construc- to a collapse of the polygon the logical structure of fail- tion and conceptualization is literally unstoppable. ures as unwarranted rep- of the trade-offs that exist I further examine the way etitions of past lessons. The between the various dimen- in which we should translate schooling curriculum indeed sions - segments of the poly- the polygon into sequential consists of important ab- gon - is the first topic on the critical decisions on the time- stractions drawn from past planner’s agenda. line. The execution polygon lessons. However, it is when I position the concepts of is not rigid scaffolding but we project them in a fashion “Daring” and “Taking Pro- a dynamic conceptual illus- that is literal or mechanical active and Well-Informed tration of the project. It will that we must cross way with Risks” as necessary logical need now to be converted failure. The paradox of edu- constituents of the polygon into successive decision cation is that what we must and achievement that may and show how in contrast the junctions. We will find the repeat in school and simula- threaten our ability to do false model of planning is re- content of a decision and its tion must be extended and what is right. Most of all, I am sponsible for an operational timing on the timeline to be not repeated in real life. What troubled with the role logic culture that is risk-averse. It inseparable. The right deci- then is required of us, so we may play, first as a liberating encourages, in fact, the piling sion is the one that is taken do not fall into the fallacy of force enabling a change that up of false securities at the at the right time. The mo- repetition in face of the mo- is tuned to the ethical imper- segments’ level that eventu- ment of decision is in fact ment of truth? This is the core ative, and second, as a force ally lead to the collapse of the last moment of delibera- genius that the moment of designed to justify on logical the polygon. tion, the first moment avail- truth asks of its protagonists. grounds, as it were, the ex- The necessary trade-offs able for action, i.e. the first It is here that the words of isting power structure. It is in relationships that exist be- possible “Can” is also the lat- Napoleon Bonaparte reso- this junction that brave indi- tween the segments of the est possible “Must”. Deciding nate so well when he argues viduals will be called to chal- polygon express the fun- too soon is analogue to the that “nothing is more difficult, lenge the governing logic of damental tension between “Jumping of the Gun” The and therefore more precious, the zeitgeist - logic that op- partnership and competition: decision maker is forcing a than to be able to decide”. erates now as an oppressive partnership in a joint goal and pre-conceived answer to a Last is the underlying con- force that serves the vested competition over resources, state of affairs not ripe for ceptual connection between interest of beneficials of ex- both material and abstract. an answer, e.g. the target in Strategy, Logic, and Ethics. isting order. When “success” When this tension is not man- the shooting range is not yet We need to be aware of the is favoured over doing what aged well, that is, when the erected. Late to decide and tension between strategy as is right, as we must admit is players’ local optimizations the decision maker may en- a process of setting goals and the prevailing cultural mood overshadow the global opti- vision what he or she should deriving backward as it were of our times that the words mization required for the suc- have done but reality is no the steps that are necessary of Emanuel Kant carry their cess of the project, the execu- longer available for them to for achieving these goals, full weight: “Do the Right tion polygon collapses. harness it right, e.g. consider to the inescapable ruling of thing and leave the Conse- In this scenario, we may a tennis player’s frustration the ethical imperative. This quences to God”. For this we find the setting of the bar of when reviewing a too-late- unavoidable tension is par- need heroes and heroines “High Standards” in players’ to-react move in the video ticularly important against that challenge the time by spheres of responsibility to replay. the backdrop of contempo- bearing the full weight of re- conceal a hidden agenda of “The Moment of Truth” is rary culture that is guided by sponsibility that comes with personal insurances taken the moment when everything a vision of personal success the doing of what is Right. EDITION I p4 NOVEMBER 2020 SYNERGIA FOUNDATION The Age of reason: Media, Judgement and the “Liberal Fallacy” power of art. In retrospect subject of their reporting. exploited and excluded from we can defend Plato’s posi- The media of our times the socio-economic power tion and say that he feared with the reach of power it game may then turn to irre- the corrupting power of bad holds is in danger of falling sponsible populist leaders At the 89th Synergia forum, art.