Improving the Interagency Conflict Assessment Framework (ICAF) with Intellectual Habits.

摘要

How can the Interagency Conflict Assessment Framework (ICAF) be improved to help service members better understand the operational environment. The application of the ICAF requires good intellectual habits that encompass an appreciation for abductive reasoning and nuanced causal explanation. Research that enriches and expands our understanding of conflict, political theory, and relevant social science continues to grow. Practitioners must understand the latest theories so they can apply abstract reasoning to better understand what is increasing or decreasing a conflict. Furthermore, they must understand causality to make this understanding complete. Craig Parsons has broken conventional causality into the four causal mechanisms of structural, institutional, ideational, and psychological. These causal mechanisms are comprehensive and internally coherent. However, in the complex nature of conflict, conventional causality is not enough. William Connolly's understanding of complexity and emergent causality are necessary for one to better understand a conflict. These habits will improve the ICAF and facilitate the best understanding of the conflict and environment.