2019 Newest Book: The Tyranny of Public Discourse:  “I do not seek applause, nor to amuse the people, I want to convince them.” —Abraham Lincoln David Hirsch and Dan Van Haften AUTHOR'S VOICE® The Ultimate Guide to the Gettysburg Address Great Minds are Made  About 33 years ago friends of David Hirsch's wife gave Hirsch the plaque pictured above. At first Hirsch did not know what to make of it. Einstein, Freud, Franklin. Must be a list of smart people. Then Hirsch happily noticed who was listed fifth. A few seconds later Hirsch's mood changed. Why was he only fifth? Then his mood changed again when he realized he was the only living person on the list. It's great to be five, while you're still alive! Abraham Lincoln and the Structure of Reason has a chapter devoted to Jefferson, and another chapter on Newton. The book also addresses Aristotle. So who really belongs on the list? Hirsch is fine with Jefferson and Newton. But Aristotle on the list -- and number 1? Would love to hear from you after you read our book(s). You may email david or dan by putting either first name in front of: @thestructureofreason.com Ellicott's EloquenceSurveyor
Andrew Ellicott lived January 24, 1754 through August 28, 1820. He
surveyed District of Columbia boundaries and helped map western
territories. He completed work on the plan for Washington, D.C. He
taught survey methods. The quotation below is from the beginning of Andrew Ellicott's January 18, 1801, letter to Thomas Jefferson. DEAR SIR Philadelphia Jany. 18th. 1801 The first part of the fifth volume of the transactions of our Philosophical Society is now with the printer.—more than one half of it will consist of the astronomical journal kept on our southern boundary.—The charts, and plans, are yet with our executive, and I do not expect to obtain them till after the 4th. of March next.—I
have been told by Mr. Pickering and others, that the work done on our
North eastern boundary, has been executed in a truly scientifick
manner, that the astronomical observations, and mathematical
deductions, are very important, some of which will doubtless be found
in the report.—If
so, and there should be no impropriety in it, it would be a desirable
object to have them for our next volume. The journal with an account,
and discription of the instruments made use of, if it could be had,
would be preferable to the report, or the observations extracted from
it.—It
appears to me that publicity ought to be given to all papers of that
kind, particularly such as have a tendency to improve the geography of
our own extensive country.—A
contrary policy can only originate in a narrowness of mind, and be
defended by persons, who would prefer a conclusion drawn from one of
Aristotle's syllogisms, to a deduction from Euclids elements. … Purchase Structure of Reason books. Copyright 2012-2020 by David Hirsch and Dan Van Haften; all rights reserved. |
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