NewsScan Daily, 19 May 2000 ("Above The Fold")
WORTH THINKING ABOUT: WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO
Neurologist Donald B. Calne says:
"Reason is a biological product -- a tool whose power is inherently and substantially restricted. It has improved how we do things; it has not changed why we do things. Reason has generated knowledge enabling us to fly around the world in less than two days. Yet we still travel for the same purposes that drove our ancient ancestors -- commerce, conquest, religion, romance, curiosity, or escape from overcrowding, poverty, and persecution.
"To deny that reason has a role in setting our goals seems, at first, rather odd. A personal decision to go on a diet or take more exercise appears to be based upon reason. The same might be said for a government
decision to raise taxes or sign a trade treaty. But reason is only contributing to the 'how' portion of these decisions; the more fundamental 'why' element, for all of these examples, is driven by instinctive
self-preservation, emotional needs, and cultural attitudes. We are usually reluctant to admit the extent to which these forces govern our behavior, and accordingly we often recruit reason to explain and justify our actions. "
See:
"http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0375403515/newsscancom/"
for Donald B. Calne's "Within Reason: Rationality and Human Behavior."
(We donate all revenue from our book recommendations to adult literacy programs.)
TELL YOUR FRIENDS ABOUT NEWSSCAN DAILY! Send them our little frog:
"http://www.newsscan.com/newsscan/newscup.html"
Copyright 2000. NewsScan Daily (R) is a publication of NewsScan.com Inc.
janet paterson
53 now / 41 dx / 37 onset
613 256 8340 / PO Box 171 Almonte Ontario K0A 1A0 Canada
visit my website "a new voice" at: http://www.geocities.com/janet313/
