| Description |
1 online resource (xix, 220 pages) : color illustrations |
| Contents |
Dionysius and the social life of World War I aviators -- Icarus and Daedalus: airmindedness in the interwar period -- Metis and Bia: air power theory -- Daedalus as deity: an imbalanced force -- Summary |
| Summary |
"In 1990, the think tank RAND assessed the professionalism of United States Air Force officers at Air University. The study's author, Carl Builder, concluded they lacked allegiance to air power theory and instead were enamored with the excitement of flight. He labeled this institutional crisis, and titled his book, The Icarus Syndrome (1994). The boy who flew too close to the sun was fitting for the context: the myth is commonly mentioned in aviation histories and references to the story can be found throughout the service. Yet, neither the metaphor nor the USAF's relationship with technology are as simple as Builder portrayed. Airmen may "worship at the altar of technology," but that does not necessarily mean they pathologically "substitute technology for strategy." To understand why, this book applies insights from the history of technology, strategic theory, narrative intelligence, and Greek mythology. The result challenges the orthodox assessments of USAF culture, revealing an undulating tension between political, pragmatic concerns with more inspirational--even playful--tendencies. No longer a syndrome to avoid, Icarus becomes a solution to embrace."--Publisher's description |
| Notes |
"September 2022"--Title page verso |
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In scope of the U.S. Government Publishing Office Cataloging and Indexing Program (C&I) and Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) |
| Bibliography |
Includes bibliographical references (pages [193]-217) |
| Notes |
Online resource; title from PDF title page (AU Press website, viewed September 21, 2022) |
| Subject |
United States. Air Force -- Airmen.
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United States. Air Force -- Operational readiness
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| SUBJECT |
United States. Air Force fast |
| Subject |
Air pilots, Military -- United States -- History -- 20th century
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Air pilots, Military -- Effect of technological innovations on -- United States
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Aeronautics, Military -- Social aspects -- United States
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Aeronautics, Military -- United States -- Psychological aspects
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Aviation psychology.
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Air power -- Philosophy
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Aeronautics, Military -- Psychological aspects
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Air pilots, Military
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Armed Forces -- Airmen
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Armed Forces -- Operational readiness
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Aviation psychology
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United States
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| Genre/Form |
History
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| Form |
Electronic book
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| Author |
Air University (U.S.). Press, issuing body.
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