And of course, the "ifs" of History, the "what-ifs," are only part of the puzzles we are called to confront. War raises fundamental questions concerning both human nature itself and the essence of society. Does war bring to the surface the brutal side of human nature, or perhaps its best elements? As with many other questions related to war, the possible answers vary. Is war an integral part of human societies, inextricably linked to humans (something like the so-called original sin) whose roots go back to the depths of time, when our ancestors first organized into communities? Is our fate indelibly marked by the sign of Cain? Are we doomed to annihilate each other? Could this view be a dangerous self-fulfilling prophecy? Do social changes lead to new forms of war, or conversely, does war decisively influence social changes? Perhaps, instead of trying to find out whether "the chicken or the egg came first," we can agree that war and society are inextricably connected through a relationship that is dangerous but also potentially productive? Can war, the destructive, harsh war, which costs so dearly in both human and material resources, also have positive outcomes? All these are questions of particular weight, to which I will try to respond by approaching the topic of "war" – as, after all, others who come after me will also try to do.