Deadly Arts

What constitutes a deadly weapon is the way in which the object is used. Some things are inherently a dangerous weapon because the primarily purpose of the object is to kill or injure. The primary purpose of a firearm is to kill, that is the purpose for which what it was originally intended; therefore, it is inherently a deadly weapon. The primary purpose of a knife is to cut, but it may easily be used to kill; therefore, it is inherently deadly even though it has many useful purposes that do not include killing or injuring. Hammers, pans, and pencils have original purposes that do not include killing or injury, so they are not inherently deadly even though they may be used to kill or injure. 

So, what makes a martial art deadly? An adult may wrestle with a child, box with a son who receives boxing gloves on a birthday, or remove a rowdy drunk from a bar without, all without using deadly techniques, or even fearing they might harm the person. Have you ever watched dogs play with each other? They play exactly as they fight. What separates the two activities is intention. While playing, they do not intend to cause harm; while fighting, they do intend to cause harm. People may act in the same way. They may spar in much the same manner as they would fight in a real situation, except their intention is to play, not harm