to hoplology Hoplology (as professed by Draeger-IHS) has three main research areas: technological, functional, and behavioral. Technological hoplology studies the development of weapons, armor, and other combative tools in relation to the contexts in which they are created. Functional hoplology delves into the structure, development, and organization of combative systems and their relationship to the application of fighting and weapons. Behavioral hoplology encompasses the psychological and physiological factors that affect human's combative behavior and development of combative capabilities such as weapons or fighting systems. The broad subject range of behavioral hoplology means it also includes the effects that culture has had on man's evolution as a group-social animal. There are three IHS axioms in hoplological studies. human combative behavior is rooted in man's evolution. humans exhibit two types of aggression: affective aggression and predatory aggression. Both forms evolved from different survival needs as both a group-social animal and as a hunting animal. the evolution of human combative behavior is directly linked to the use of weapons. That is to say that the use of weapons is linked with and reflects combative performance and behavior. A variation on the pragmatics of hoplological understanding is found in theatrical representations of combat. The Draeger-IHS hoplological view on violence: The entrenched nature of violence in human behavior is generally well understood. The skill and potential of deadly aggression is something within human genetics which predisposes humans to violent behavior. However, the genetics that predispose humans to violence is highly influenced by environmental factors. Humans will only tap into their violent potential once the need has arisen. Human genetics have developed an on-off switch in the brain. On the on side "…the fighting activity itself is stimulated by individual and communal thrill, enjoyment in the competitive exercise of spiritual and physical faculties, and even cruelty, blood lust, and killing ecstasy." (Gat 2006) On the off-side violence is deterred away by emotions through fear, revulsion at violence and bloodshed, physical fatigue, compassion, and spirituality. So if the environmental factors that cause a man to be violent are present, then he will be violent. If the environmental factors that cause a man to be violent are not present, he will abstain and deter violence. References Further reading Amburger, Christopher, The secret history of the sword adventures in ancient Martial arts Carolyn Conley (1999) The agreeable recreation of fighting, Journal of social history Desch Obi, TJ (2008) Fighting