Reviews

Advance praise for Stoicism as a Warrior Philosophy: Insights on the Morality of Military Service

Vice Admiral (Ret) Joe Leidig, former Deputy Commander U.S. Africa Command and USNA Commandant of Midshipmen:

“From the halls of our U.S. military academies to the crucible of command, Stoicism has long shaped the character of America’s finest military leaders. In Stoicism as a Warrior Philosophy, Commander Spears advances this tradition with clarity and resolve—building on Admiral Stockdale’s legacy to deliver a field manual for warrior-scholars. For those who strive to lead with courage, endure with purpose, and serve with integrity, this is a must read.”

Michael “Mick” Mulroy, former U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Middle East and senior fellow at Harvard’s Belfer Center:

“William C. Spears presents a compelling case for Stoicism as the moral framework warriors need. I saw this firsthand during my service in the Marine Corps, at the CIA, and later as a senior official at the Pentagon. The core principles of Stoicism—discipline, resilience, knowing what matters—apply just as much on the battlefield as they do in the Situation Room at the White House. This is not just theory—it’s a philosophy tested under pressure, and meant for those whose decisions have consequences measured in lives.”

Dr. Pauline M. Shanks Kaurin, Stockdale Chair in Professional Military Ethics, College of Leadership and Ethics, U.S. Naval War College:

“This volume represents a unique and masterful blend of military perspective and scholarly gravitas in addressing the variety and range of Stoic thought, both historical and contemporary. In addition to the fidelity to the philosophical traditions and literature, the book addresses and argues for a way to conceptualize and apply these ideas within a military perspective that goes beyond the usual popular culture tropes and surface treatments. Highly recommended for both scholars and military practitioners, and those who see themselves as both.”

Dr. John Mark Mattox, U.S. National War College Chair in Leadership, Character, and Ethics:

“In writing Stoicism as a Warrior Philosophy, William C. Spears performs the triple service of demonstrating to the reader that ancient classics are classics precisely because they can be read to good advantage centuries or even millennia after they were written, that Stoicism offers much of value to persons in search of value in professional life, and that members of the profession of arms in particular owe it to themselves and to those they lead to think deeply about their vocation in ways that transcend the day-to-day business which, although the crisis of the moment, will be altogether forgotten long before the message of the classics ceases to resonate.”

Donald J. Robertson, best-selling author of “How to Think Like a Roman Emperor”:

“Stoicism as a Warrior Philosophy offers today’s military a framework for thinking about the warrior ethos, how it works, and why it matters that it works on a philosophical level. U.S. Navy Commander William C. Spears challenges misconceptions about modern warriors, bridging ancient Stoic thought with contemporary ideas about moral responsibility and just war theory to provide a balanced perspective on the morality of modern warfare.”

Lt. Col. Thomas Schueman, USMC, best-selling author of “Always Faithful”:

“As a Marine Corps officer who took the Naval War College’s moral philosophy course designed by Admiral Stockdale, taught on his legacy at the Naval Academy, and practiced Stoicism through multiple combat deployments, I found Stoicism as a Warrior Philosophy to be a powerful and timely work. William Spears bridges ancient wisdom with the realities of military life, offering a clear, compelling case for Stoicism as the warrior’s philosophy. This book belongs on every leader’s shelf.”

Dr. Shaun Baker, Stockdale Center for Ethical Leadership, United States Naval Academy:

“In this book, Commander William Spears does a superb job of not only introducing us to Stoic thought, through a careful and scholarly reading of major and minor figures in the history of the school, but does so in a way that truly cashes in on a phrase often associated with the school, due not only to analogies drawn by Epictetus, but also to the tremendous influence of warrior/emperor Marcus Aurelius, and former POW/fighter pilot, Jim Stockdale.

That phrase? Stoic Warrior. Spears draws out the full implications of this phrase in spades. Unlike many modern popularizers of Stoic thought, he considers the full implications of Stoic religious doctrine, metaphysics, psychology and ethics, not only for men and women in the services in their roles as military professionals, but for those same individuals in their roles as human beings; citizens of country and world. Spears explores the synergy and tensions in these roles, using Stoic sources—such as Hierocles—not often referenced in other works focused on Stoicism and the military.

Uniquely in the world of scholarly works on the subject of Stoicism and the military, Spears also deftly weaves the tenets of Stoicism with other strains of philosophical tradition that have explicit connection with military service, arguing for their consistency with Stoic doctrine. His chapter on Just War theory, and his discussion of Stoicism’s implications for modern discussions of moral agency and moral injury, are worth the read alone. His discussion of dissent and disobedience is careful and nuanced, and tied directly to Stoic thought on morality and role-based obligations, again, referencing Stoic sources not usually cited in such work.

The book is a primer on the multi-faceted ethical dimensions of the profession of arms, and is well illustrated with thought provoking examples drawn from history. In this reviewer’s opinion, the book should be a standard text at our war colleges, service academies, for ROTC and for anyone wanting to get beyond a surface level understanding of Stoicism as applied to the profession of arms. This is truly an important and engaging work of scholarship that must be taken into account.”