Unpicking the martial theory of mind: Time, space, and technology in the conduct of war

Abstract

This article argues that concepts of time are central to how armed forces imagine and pursue victory, functioning as both an ordering principle and an instrumental resource. Here, the article advances the concept of a ‘martial theory of mind’ to explain how armed forces seek to instrumentally manipulate the ordering properties of time to produce spatial and technological advantages, rooted in socio-technical imaginaries of both their own and their adversaries’ behaviour. However, technological change has frequently altered the relationship between time and space in warfare, necessitating constant alteration to prevailing military doctrines as armies update their ‘martial theory of mind’. The article then applies this theoretical lens to analyse the potential collapse of contemporary doctrines of manoeuvre warfare, highlighting how technological diffusion has undermined the relationship between time and space in the martial theory of mind underpinning their operation. It concludes by articulating a series of potential avenues by which Western armies might seek to address this growing imbalance.