The Human Character - Graeme Smith - Bog

What is life?The simple phrase, "I think, therefore I am," Coined by the French philosopher Rene Descartes.Changed the world. Within decades of its first utterance. Descartes' ground-breaking work in rationalism.Helped end witch-burning in Europe.It also opened the gates to the Age of Enlightenment. This was Descartes' way of saying.It is our ability to think.That serves to prove our actual existence.At least of our mind.Many people know the phrase.Not so many know what was next for Descartes. After using reason to prove our mind exists.He went further to prove: Man was defined as a "thing that thinks," or a "thinking thing." I wonder.If this brilliant mathematician, physicist and philosopher.Who influenced everyone from Isaac Newton to Ayn Rand. Would be reconsidering this thesis.If he was around today.He'd see a typical response to the coronavirus.With data on the actual impact of the virus.And resulting economic crisis.There are more and more drastic actions.Undertaken by governments.In the name of protecting us from threat.How many think about what is really happening?Like warnings on children going back to school too soon. We listen to advice.BUT there some say there will not be a surge.We can safely open the economy. And the facts will bear this out."What kind of facts? In New York the mortality rate for the virus is near zero.That's for children up to 18 years old. The response was along the lines of: It would be a mistake to think that children are not at risk.That is what Senator Paul said. He didn't say there was no risk.He was suggesting that the data does not support.The shutting down of the nation's educational system.Consider the following information.From the Heritage Foundation and other sources.With regard to the disease that has shut down nations.New York and New Jersey, by themselves.Account for 38% of all cases and 48% of all deaths.30 counties in the U.S have 50% of all cases and 57% of all deaths. 24 are in the Northeast between Philadelphia and Boston.11% of US counties account for 95% of deaths from the virus.52% of all U.S. counties have zero reported deaths.Despite their states opening earlier than others.AND with fewer restrictions in place overall.Cases in Florida and Georgia are declining not increasing.Research using the CDC estimate of accidental deaths.At 240,000, the virus will be 170 times less deadly.Than accidents as a cause of death in the U.S.All the above should at least cause the inquisitive mind.To stop and think about what is happening. There are over 36 million people.Who have filed for unemployment!The economy is in tatters. This virus and the politicians have sent the USA into a tailspin.From which they may never fully recover. What is certain is the longer they are locked at home.The less likely a recovery becomes.Descartes was first and foremost a mathematician. What if he was around today?To help present a rational mathematical case?USA might reconsider the draconian response to the virus.A contemporary of Descartes.Was the English philosopher Thomas Hobbes. Hobbes had a rather pessimistic view regarding man's nature.Like lambs, we are weak and driven mostly by fear. Hobbes argued that because of our nature.We are incapable of living without being controlled and protected.By a powerful state.Certainly people are afraid in today's America.They are also allowing increasing control by all-powerful states. Are they proving Hobbes right? Are they so incapable of overcoming fear?That they have to be protected by big government? The answer at the moment is, "yes."Fear, however, is a base-level emotion. It can be overcome by rational thought.The kind which Descartes believed.Separated man from all other living creatures. If we stop thinking, what are we? Are we still human?