The Moral Imperative of Our Time: Purposeful Intellectual Growth

The Moral Imperative of Our Time: Purposeful Intellectual Growth by Brigadier General Wayne Michael Hall, ED.D., underscores the need for advanced cognitive development amid rapid technological and global challenges. Drawing on fifty years of U.S. Army intelligence experience, Hall emphasizes the integration of leadership thinking with technology to maintain global leadership and outthink enemies.

Hall advocates for treating information and cognition as warfare domains, urging strategies to combat misinformation and enhance strategic decision-making. The book offers practical approaches for intellectual growth in military and civilian contexts, such as fostering thought leaders and refining cognitive strategies.

Introducing concepts like “matrix war” and the critical role of “will,” Hall provides a thorough analysis of modern conflict and strategic operations. This essential read is ideal for strategists and policymakers, proposing a national security doctrine that incorporates information and cognitive domains to secure America’s future.

Reviews

Mike Hall joined the second iteration of the School of Advanced Military Studies in the summer of 1984. Those of us who were his classmates immediately recognized in him genius in the best sense of the word. He exemplified the school’s motto, “the mind is the key to victory.” He was captivated by the expansive and yet deep study of theory on the nature and character of war. Since then Hall has focused his impressive wit on considering intelligence collection and mission command in the information age, and the effect of will in warfare. The Moral Imperative of our Time—Purposeful Intellectual Growth is his sixth book. In five powerful essays Hall synthesizes his previous work, updates his thinking and explores theory more deeply. The essence of this work is a systematic approach to thinking and how to think about the changing character of war. This is a must read for professional soldiers who are serious about trying to discern the future of warfare.
Gregory Fontenot
Colonel
U.S. Army, Retired

Reviews

The Moral Imperative of Our Time—Purposeful Intellectual Growth
el Hall, ED.D., Brigadier General, U.S. Army, Retired

Mike Hall is a genius and like his intellectual companions, Mike is blessed with original and exceptional insight. An insatiable intellectual curiosity and a plethora of academic and experiential learning have amplified his extraordinary insight exponentially. Mike is a deep thinker imbued with an intense passion for learning, teaching, and driving change. Each of his published works is a calling for us to undertake a deliberate journey of learning focused on optimizing our mind’s potential. All his published and unpublished works are on my go-to physical and digital shelves of references. In this, his latest tome, Mike’s quest is abundantly clear in the book’s title…and so, too, is his thesis: The Moral Imperative of Our Time—Purposeful Intellectual Growth: Developing and Using the Human Mind to Outpace America’s Enemies and to Stay Abreast of Changing Technologies. Mike argues convincingly that only a deliberate and steadfast commitment to grow intellectually will (i) enable us to thwart the ever-increasing quantity and effectiveness of nefarious misinformation and disinformation; (ii) improve our decision-making; and (iii) leverage (vice being hostage to) evolving technologies to stay ahead of America’s adversaries and to defeat her enemies.
Mike and I have been each other’s harshest critic and most ardent supporter since our days in the School of Advanced Military Studies, 1984-85. We have served together, collaborated often, and debated the finer points of national security and the art and science of the profession of arms. That his thinking has evolved so much over the forty years surprises me not at all…Mike is a lifelong learner. And, at an age when most are more than ready to pass the baton to the next generation, Mike is the exception. Every fiber of his being beckons him to continue to share his enormous learning and holistic thinking with current and future decision-makers. The security of our nation cannot rest on the shoulders of bright and well-intentioned young men and women in and out of uniform without mentors of Mike Hall’s ilk to guide their holistic development and intellectual growth.
Afforded the reflective study they deserve, Mike’s works are beyond compelling. They should be among the required studies of decision-makers and their staffs at every echelon of our government and armed forces. In the early 1900s, J.F.C. Fuller’s ideas on mechanized warfare were less appreciated by his countrymen than by the Nazis, notably Heinz Guderian who spent his own money to have Fuller’s Provisional Instructions for Tank and Armoured Car Training translated. However arduous the study of Mike Hall’s learning and deep-thinking might be, let’s not cede his body of work and powerful ideas to our adversaries.
Paul Tiberi
Colonel
US Army, Retired

Reviews

Review of The Moral Imperative of our Time—Purposeful Intellectual Growth

It has been my personal and professional privilege to call Brigadier General Mike Hall my Boss, my mentor, and my friend since 1994 when he assumed command of the 501st MI Brigade in South Korea. As one of his battalion commanders, it was truly amazing time as we launched into one the greatest odysseys of our collective lives.

Our first assignment was to read, digest and be prepared to discuss his essay on “How to Think Holistically in the 21st Century.” From that time forward, I have been a humble disciple of General Hall, or as he fondly refers to me as, “one of his pups.” I have been lucky enough to play a small role in the evolution of Mike’s “thinking about thinking,” and watch him pour his life’s blood into his books, essays, seminars, and countless podcast.

This book, his sixth, (and according to him) his final labor of love represents the high-water mark of his nearly 54 years of teaching, coaching, and mentoring men and women from all walks of life and professions. However, his key and essential target audience has always been and remains intelligence professionals that both collect and analyze data and information, and then turn it into useful, accurate, and timely intelligence needed by field commanders at all echelons of command.

Clearly, this book is not an “easy read,” nor is it intended to be.  All of Mike’s work requires the reader to exercise “deep thought” and the willingness to challenge of every assumption. And that is what makes his ideas, concepts and approaches so vital to 21st century leaders and decision makers.

The Moral Imperative of Our Time—Purposeful Intellectual Growth hinges on General Hall’s maxims that humans were created to think and innovate. As he points out, this maxim is dying on the altar of “technology over-dependence” Simply put, man cannot let machines do our thinking. Surely, technology like Artificial Intelligence (AI) can assist and accelerate our thinking process and techniques, but at the end of the day, humans must learn “how to think”. This theme is interwoven throughout all of his work. Teaching people “how to think” in order to win our nations wars is Mike’s personal and professional bumper sticker.

One of the most important and far-reaching recommendation’s that General Hall makes in this book is the need to add two additional domains to our warfighting doctrine: information and cognition. And, from my lowly foxhole, I think he’s absolutely right. Today’s battlespaces are information dependent and driven. Understanding how information is collected, synthesized and used by commander’s is imperative.  Also, as he has hammered for years that people must know “how to think” deeply and critically; hence the need for a cognitive domain.

If one would only want to tackle parts or segments of this master piece book, I strongly recommend Essay’s Four and Five. These two essays contain the “golden nuggets” representing the nearly 54 years of BG Hall’s life-work.

In both essays he uses a novel approach of asking deep and probing questions, and then provides the reader with extremely well thought out answers and explanations. BG Hall attacks very complex issues like defining the meaning of truth as it pertains analysis and synthesis

Additionally, he provides a critical discussion about how assumptions and cultural bias are the thinking person’s arch enemy. He explains the importance of conducting purpose-driven war-gaming at all levels of command. As he did with his Brigade in Korea, he always taught and stressed the need to think and see our operations from the enemy’s perspective. Mike also provides tremendous insights about we can leverage technology to assist us in our thinking skills. Lastly, his discussion and explanation on Matrix War merits deep study and consideration across DOD.

Finally, and maybe most importantly, BG Hall provides an in depth, dense, and complex explanation of why decision makers, (at all echelons) MUST know and understand how “Will” must be integrated into strategic and operational planning across all levels of conflict, (Strategic (pollical) Strategic (military), Operational, and Tactical).  Mike has worked for years to define “will” and has strongly recommended that it be included in our Joint and Service doctrines. Throughout the entire book, BG Hall provides numerous historical examples of how “will” (ours and theirs) impacted on conflicts, wars and battles from Verdun to the Gaza Strip.

The Moral Imperative of Our Time is a must read for people, both young and old with a desire to hone their critical thinking skills. Leaders at all levels of the Defense Department, across the larger Intelligence Community, and even our Defense Industrial base should read, study and apply the ideas, principles, and processes outlined by General Hall. Time is of the essence. War is not coming; it’s here. We need to be ready for what comes next. My friend and my mentor, General Mike Hall has provided a most excellent roadmap.

Harold (Harry) Bakken
Colonel
US Army, (Retired)