ABSTRACT
Because people fight for abstract notions like honour not as a means to other things (security, wealth, and so on), but as ends in themselves, they go to war even in circumstances where the possible benefits in terms of security, wealth and the rest are far outweighed by the probable losses. Because they are going to war for honour, rather than for some tangible goal, they are in effect fighting for the sake of fighting. The stated material goal of the war, whatever it may be, is merely the issue which put their honour on the line.
