Descartes and the concept of free thought

Descartes and the concept of free thought

"What if Rene the Learned’s words go beyond our ability to believe in our existence? What if he was also saying, that to exist, to really, truly exist as a human soul, we have to have the ability to think, and think freely? For without freedom of thought, we cannot exist in our full capacity as a human soul."
Jonathan Garrett - The Day of the Heroes

The Enlightenment

The Scientific Revolution started in the 16^th century and marked the start of modern day science. Through this revolution, people began to realise that the world and life had been created based on scientific principles. This, of course, helped to eliminate superstition from society and interestingly, marked the end of the European witch craze. It also started the period of the Enlightenment which began around the mid-17^th century.

The Enlightenment is a period of time where individuals came away from the structured thought of the Catholic church and really began thinking for themselves. Emmanuel Kant in 1784 defined the Enlightenment best by saying ‘Dare to know! Have courage to use your own reason! That is the motto of enlightenment’. The Enlightenment writers revolutionised thought on reason, liberty, and humane treatment of individuals. In fact, reason replaced the church as the source of authority.

The Enlightenment was central to the massive political changes happening in Europe at the time, but none more so than in America. America became the first country in the world to be established on Enlightenment principles. America’s ideals of personal liberty, freedom of speech and the freedom of the press are all Enlightenment principles. America’s economic system of free markets was based directly on the Scottish Enlightenment thinker Adam Smith and his volumes of Wealth of Nations. If America today does not seem like the great free country that it is often made out to be, it is only because those within it have steered the country away from its founding Enlightenment ideas.

Coffee houses

Just prior to the Enlightenment, coffee houses started showing up in Europe. These coffee houses would become a major factor in the spreading of Enlightenment ideas. During the Enlightenment, coffee houses would stock books from all of the popular writers, Rousseau, Locke, Voltaire, Diderot, Montesquieu, Kant, Smith, and others. Intellectuals from all sides of the political spectrum would come and read and debate the ideas within these writings. From their ongoing and continual discussions, a consensus would be reached. That consensus was considered to be highly prized and important, as it was the final outcome at that point that those involved in the discussion could agree on after all of the debate. It is this concept that we use in our political parliaments today, where two sides argue and debate issues and ideas, then reach a consensus.

Descartes

Rene Descartes was a French scientist and philosopher. He was very active during the Scientific revolution and was one of the pioneers of enlightenment thinking. One of his most famous lines, which is the subject of this blog comes from his book Discourse on the Method, which states:

“And as I observed that this truth, I think, therefore I am, was so certain and of such evidence that no ground of doubt, however extravagant, could be alleged by the Sceptics capable of shaking it, I concluded that I might, without scruple, accept it as the first principle of the philosophy of which I was in search.”

The line ‘I think, therefore I am’, has so much profound depth, that it is impossible to understate its importance. This line can be viewed from a philosophical point of view, where, by saying that I think, therefore I must exist. However, there is a much deeper and richer meaning that can be taken from this that is highly relevant to our society today. That meaning is that in order to truly exist as a human being, to be able to live a life that can seriously be defined as existing, I have to be allowed to think freely. Because if I am not allowed to think, then I am not truly existing. It is through thought that we can find meaning, reason, purpose, and an understanding of the world around us.

Growing restrictions on free thought and speech in western society.

One of the most important books that I have ever read is George Orwell’s 1984. It was written in 1934. In this book, Orwell describes a world in which free speech does not exist, and everyone’s speech and even thought is examined. It presents a society where words are eliminated from language on a regular basis. The Thought Police are a real thing and the love of the current day's politics must be absolute. Every day there is two minutes of hate for all of those that have political views against the current establishment. Sound familiar? Orwell was on the political left, but even he saw the dangers of the radical left.

Today’s society is becoming eerily similar to Orwell’s description. One of the biggest free speech issues we face in today’s society is with the political left claiming a moral high ground with their ideas. They state that hate speech does not have to be heard or accepted, of course, nobody likes hateful speech. However, they write the script on what is hate speech. Any person or group that holds ideas contrary to their own are quickly slapped with the ‘hateful’ label. They then use this to claim the moral right to shut down seminars, have people fired, and even use violence. The below video is from a riot at the University of Berkeley in California, the reason? They did not want a particular conservative speaker speaking at campus (Warning: Explicit language).

For the first time in Western culture, the Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Canada has introduced laws that force its citizens to use certain words over others. Facebook, Google, and Twitter have all begun campaigns to censor out those whose opinions do not align with their own political ideas. I am not talking about radical right extremist groups. One of the Facebook pages banned belonged to two hugely popular African American ladies who often appear on television, ‘Diamond and Silk’, their crime? They supported Donald Trump and were therefore deemed unsafe. At the Commonwealth games here this month in Australia, volunteers were given a list of words that were not to be used to attendees. Front and centre were not the types of swear words you might expect. Rather more horrific words were banned, words like ‘ladies’ and ‘gentlemen’, ‘mother’ and ‘father’. Political Correctness has taken over and at its core is the elimination of free speech. It has a starting point, and for each victory, new terrain is sought.

In 1956, Hungary was under Soviet control. The people revolted and attempted and failed to overthrow the Soviet authorities. One of their core demands was to have their freedom of speech. For this simple desire, thousands put their lives on the line and were subsequently gunned down and murdered. Sometimes you don’t know what you have until you lose it.

Descartes’ words and today’s society

Descartes’ words are as important to us today, as they were in the Enlightenment. The difference between the two times are that during the Enlightenment, they were moving into a time of free thought, now, we are moving away from it. If as individuals and as a society we are to truly exist, then free thought and free speech are paramount. The idea of shutting down free speech on the premise it could cause offense will only lead to a very, very dark place. As always, Jordan Peterson articulates this point very well.

The truth is, listening to, and debating the opposite side of politics makes us smarter and more informed. Censoring only makes us less informed. Truth is greater than belief, it is just less prized. In order to really believe in something, you have to be willing to have those beliefs challenged in the prospect you might find truth. What we are missing is the conversations over coffee similar to the Enlightenment, where thoughts can be challenged and discussed in an open and honest forum.

Australia has a very good way of life, it has a great mix of personal freedoms, business opportunities and also free health care, excellent schooling, and other welfare benefits. Australia only has this way of life due to two centuries of the political left and right arguing and debating political beliefs, and then reaching a consensus. Long may it continue.