Morganelli is a scholar, philosopher, and martial artist. As somebody who is has been educated as a philosopher, Morganelli tries to make sense of his role as a martial artist. In this 157-page book, I believe he succeeded in that goal. He has outlined a path for martial artists is ethical and moral. The Protector Ethic covers five major areas:
- Introduction: The Martial is Moral
- To Value: Justice as Honor
- To Reason: Temperance as Integrity
- To Judge: Prudence as Vigilance
- To Act: Courage as Rectitude
Throughout The Protector Ethic, Morganelli used stories to illustrate the points that he made. Many of these stories focused on failures that have resulted in death or serious injury. These failures often occur when bystanders did not intervene because they didn’t have the moral courage nor the moral capability to successfully intercede. In the book, I found it fascinating how Morganelli explained what led up to the failures and how they can be philosophically understood.
In many of the stories, Morganelli is the actor of the story. he courageously highlighted when he made decisions that he now considers inappropriate. In The Protector Ethic, he shared his journeys to be a martial artist and a philosophical scholar. One can see how his experiences shaped him and helped him understand both roles.
I personally appreciated some of the stories that he shared because I share many similar experiences even though they occurred at different times. I was familiar with the stories that were shared by his and my teacher, Jack Hoban. When I regularly train with Jack, I heard many of the shared stories over and over. These stories helped shape my thinking of what martial arts is supposed to be about. I can see these stories and experiences shaped Morganelli’s thoughts on what they are also about.
Morganelli supported The Protector Ethic heavily with research. In the book, one can certainly see Morganelli’s scholarly philosophical background, which focused on ethics and morality. I personally appreciated this academic approach to the topic.
We are currently living in a time when ethics and morality are being challenged. We need people to stand up to do what is morally right. As Morganelli noted, they need to have the ability, confidence, and courage to stand up to those who oppress others. Morganelli clearly explained a martial artist’s role in this. He also outlined what a martial artist must do to prepare for these situations. His view, as is mine, is that a martial artist is to be the protector of others.
Across the internet, I have seen many people’s responses to events that give me great concern. I know many of them to be martial artists. But I don’t believe that their moral compass is pointed in the right direction. I believe that all martial artists should devote more study to the ethical and moral consequences and responsibilities of their martial way. Without hesitation, I would recommend James Morganelli’s book, The Protector Ethic, to be part of their martial studies. I really enjoyed reading this book.
Additional Reading
- Book Review: The Ethical Warrior: Values, Morals and Ethics – For Life, Work and Service
- Book Review: Thrive
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