5GW Theory Timeline

Summary:

A mapping of the xGW framework onto John Boyd's OODA theory utilizing a Revised OODA developed by Curtis Gale Weeks. Part 3 of a 3-part series on the OODA, following "Rethinking the OODA" and "EBO is Everything in War — Almost".

The post has several sections:

Introduction -- in which the previous post in the series, on EBO, is summarized. The limitations of EBO are thought to be a result of the difference between reason, which is informed by past experiences/learning, and concrete cause/effect chains occuring in the present. I.e., observations in the present, which EBO tries to influence, are not the sole determinant of an individual's decision to act in a particular way; thus, EBO is limited. However, no one may conduct warfare or engage in conflict without altering the present physical environment, which means that EBO, of some form, is important to modern warfare.

We Observe, We Orient, We Decide/Act -- a section which examines Dan tdaxp's and William Lind's ideas concerning the generational warfare model, focusing on the observational aspects of each generation. Whereas Dan tdaxp considered the way each successive generation of warfare attempts to attack the enemy's decision process by "going deeper" into the enemy's OODA, and William Lind focused on the technological and tactical differences between each succeeding generation, both approaches may be seen to reflect changes in observational capability due to changing technology and changing societal forces.

Going Deeper into OODA -- in which Dan tdaxp's mapping of xGW onto John Boyd's OODA is considered in depth, in light of the previous sections of the post, with a reiteration of the importance of EBO as characterized in the previous post in the series.

And Deeper…… -- in which a new mapping of xGW is offered, but onto the Revised OODA designed by CGW, followed by notes explaining the implications and variations upon previous mappings:

The blog post was later cross-posted to the blog Dreaming 5GW.