| Abstract |
The strategies and tactics expounded and used by Sun Tzu clearly support the idea that he was a humanistic military scholar, from his use of the concept of the ‘integrity of the whole’. In order to truly understand The Art of War, it is imperative to grasp this key concept. This discussion attempts to trace the roots of the theory concerning the “integrity of the whole”, through an analysis of the ‘Principle of personal interest’, ‘Principle of prediction’, ‘Principle of the whole’ and ‘Principle of dialectics’. It is hoped that a solid foundation can be established for this key underlying concept. In other words, it is hoped to establish whether it was possible to retain the “integrity of the whole”. This is followed by sorting out how Sun Tzu implemented this concept in his writings, so as to gain an understanding of his true intents within the framework of the “integrity of the whole”. |
