History of Science and Technology Colloquium

There has long been a debate about the nature of war. It is well known that Carl von Clausewitz (1780-1831) and others at end of the 18th and beginning of the 19th centuries sought to found a "scientific" understanding of this phenomenon. It was an important and even urgent goal, given the protracted and devastating wars of the Revolutionary and Napoleonic eras. Yet it is also clear that, after a lifetime of experience and contemplation, Clausewitz concluded this was an impossible quest. In line with others of his time, what did Clausewitz think a science of war would entail? Why did he believe it could not be achieved? What was the best we could accomplish in the real world? Are his concerns still relevant today?