How Things Work – A Brief History of Reality
Book I – Dualism (A Cartesian America Part 1)
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Tuesday May 10, 2022
“Let us make our future now, and let us make our dreams tomorrow's reality” – Malala Yousafzai
CONSIDERATION #30 – “A Cartesian America” Part-1
PREFACE
Welcome Everybody!
It is important to understand the roots of America because they are also the roots of modern science and religion. Although the United States did not perfectly manifest the Enlightenment principles representing the Age of Reason into its original inception, it becomes the bedrock foundation and battleground for those principles moving forward; attempting to manifest them more perfectly into the world of reality over time. Having failed to fully implement them in its conception, America remains a testing ground for the possibility of trying to bring “perfect abstractions” into the “real physical world.”
“The establishment of a “Cartesian” America ultimately leads to the establishment of our modern “Cartesian” Reality.”
One of the results of the American Experiment was an expansion and democratization of Christianity into many denominations offering a “personal” relationship with God as opposed to the institutional relationship previously experienced in traditional Catholicism. Another result stems from the intense focus put on the practicality of science leading to the technical, industrial, and scientific revolutions of the modern age. The establishment of a “Cartesian” America ultimately leads to the establishment of our modern “Cartesian” Reality.
From the formulation of the “American Idea” rises many abstract ideals including Religious Tolerance and Scientific Progress; by today’s standard, two antagonistic ideals fighting for the supremacy of Truth. However, by historical standards, two non-identical twins separated in early childhood who no longer recognize each other as being related.
CONSIDERATION #30: A Cartesian America – Part 1
“I hope that posterity will judge me kindly, not only as to the things which I have explained but also to those which I have intentionally omitted so as to leave to others the pleasure of discovery.”
– Rene Descartes
The United States of America is for all intents and purposes the first “planned” government. The very intention of gaining independence from Great Britain revolved around the possibility of establishing a new enlightened nation, based on a new enlightened government, which would establish the principles of the Enlightenment movement for its citizens. This experiment in human reason became manifested in three critical proclamations: The Declaration of Independence, The U.S. Constitution, and The Bill of Rights.
“It is the result of a long chain of causal events that can be linked back to the abstract ideas of Plato, Aristotle, and Descartes that finally became imperfectly manifested into the physical world of reality in 1776.”
In the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson directly uses Descartes’ concept of self-evident truth to establish the equality of “man” and support John Locke’s concept of inalienable rights:
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
Declaration of Independence
This seemingly simple phrase establishes “human rights” based on “human equality” for the first time in history. It is the result of a long chain of causal events that can be linked back to the abstract ideas of Plato, Aristotle, and Descartes that finally became imperfectly manifested into the physical world of reality in 1776. This idea of inalienable human rights grew stronger in the world after this Declaration, until the expectation of them is now presumed and assumed as obvious, even if not yet fully implemented, by most people throughout the world today. All from a single seed of “reason” sown in 1776.
In the U.S. Constitution, James Madison implements John Locke’s concept of using a constitution to legally limit the power of government. It uses Enlightenment principles to set up a government composed of three interdependent branches designed to keep itself in check. It is given the legal power to perform specific government functions, all other power remains with the states and individual citizens. It has become the model for virtually every constitutional government created since, including the current 192 constitutional countries throughout the world today.
“These legally protected individual rights represent the pinnacle of Enlightenment thinking and the beginning of a new reality.”
The Bill of Rights establishes, protects, and guarantees a list of 10 inalienable human rights that inherently belong to all human beings including the right of religion, free speech, free press, assembly, self-defense, and other protections including the right to remain silent when arrested as well as the right to an attorney and due process. It represents an insistence by the original founders that these eternal self-evident truths be legally codified for all future Americans. These legally protected individual rights represent the pinnacle of Enlightenment thinking and the beginning of a new reality. A reality in which every individual was considered worthy of respect from each other, and even from their government.
POSTSCRIPT
Although not perfect, once established, America promotes a “new world order” in which the individual citizen has a say in their own life and destiny. However, the United States, and the rest of the world, would struggle with the responsibility of living up to the very ideals they had fought to implement into reality. Enlightenment would not come so quickly, or easily.
“Today, Russia, under Putin, is attempting to define itself as a new Leviathan.”
After a Revolutionary War, Civil War, and two World Wars, the rationality and reasonableness of human beings continues to remain in question. As I write this newsletter President Vladimir Putin of Russia has just violently invaded its neighbor, Ukraine, without any provocation. They are currently destroying the cities, population centers, and the population itself indiscriminately. Once again, the atrocities of war have invaded Europe. War crimes are now a common site on social media and the evening news. Today, Russia, under Putin, is attempting to define itself as a new Leviathan.
“Can we find a way out of destroying ourselves? Or was Hobbes, right?”
With the advancement of technology comes the advancement of weaponry, forcing us to ask ourselves the fundamental question: Can we find a way out of destroying ourselves? Or was Hobbes, right?
Next week we consider the positive results of America and the scientific revolution in preparation for the final chapter of book one: Digital Dualism.
Learn More About the Idea of America: “Being American: A Primer for All Parties and Persuasions!” Available Exclusively from BooksNotOnAmazon.com
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