I’m not sure I’d frame it as ambiguity causing the conflict. The conflict is about underlying different desires and beliefs. The ambiguity makes the lines of power less obvious, and allows for more negotiation and variety of resolution, at the cost of sometimes having to test the limits.
It’s well-known that uncertainty of outcome is the only reason to fight, but that is somewhat different from the intentional ambiguity of position that has both costs and benefits.
I’m not sure I’d frame it as ambiguity causing the conflict. The conflict is about underlying different desires and beliefs. The ambiguity makes the lines of power less obvious, and allows for more negotiation and variety of resolution, at the cost of sometimes having to test the limits.
I think here you’re using the word “conflict” with a different meaning than the one I’m using in the post. There’s no reason for us to go to war just because we have different interests, and I’m using “conflict” to mean a physical conflict, so either war or something that is of a similar character but on a smaller scale.
It’s well-known that uncertainty of outcome is the only reason to fight.
This is not what I’m saying. The outcome can be uncertain, but that is by itself not a reason to fight. What causes the fight is disagreement. If the outcome was uncertain but the parties agreed on the probability of it going one way or another, that wouldn’t be a reason to fight.
I’m not sure I’d frame it as ambiguity causing the conflict. The conflict is about underlying different desires and beliefs. The ambiguity makes the lines of power less obvious, and allows for more negotiation and variety of resolution, at the cost of sometimes having to test the limits.
It’s well-known that uncertainty of outcome is the only reason to fight, but that is somewhat different from the intentional ambiguity of position that has both costs and benefits.
I think here you’re using the word “conflict” with a different meaning than the one I’m using in the post. There’s no reason for us to go to war just because we have different interests, and I’m using “conflict” to mean a physical conflict, so either war or something that is of a similar character but on a smaller scale.
This is not what I’m saying. The outcome can be uncertain, but that is by itself not a reason to fight. What causes the fight is disagreement. If the outcome was uncertain but the parties agreed on the probability of it going one way or another, that wouldn’t be a reason to fight.