Description
As the title suggests, this paper attempts to ground cultural intelligence as applied in Counterinsurgency operations in philosophical concepts, particularly drawing from the work of Immanuel Kant. For both, the practitioners of intelligence and analysts of intelligence, the phenomena have been overladen with empiricist and scientific criteria. The paper, however, underscores the significance of a priori assumptions as against a posteriori in the assessment of intelligence in counterinsurgency (COIN) operations. It tends to understand preconditions that make knowledge and judgement possible. By applying the Kantian distinction between categories of thought and categories of reality in the field of cultural intelligence where these are usually equated, we can develop an upgraded framework to not just understand any culture but also prevent the fallibility of intelligence. If pursuit of truth is one of objectives of intelligence assessments, then it becomes valuable to distinguish between epistemic truth i.e. the truth of propositions and ontological truth i.e. the truth in itself. While the distinction may hold universal reference, its importance becomes particularly pronounced in societies where COIN operations are conducted. To elucidate the argument, I draw upon some studies of United States’ cultural intelligence in its operational usage in Afghanistan. The intention of this work is not to disregard the current practices, but to understand the way intelligence is generated and make room for further philosophical enquiry in the field of intelligence studies.
