Mark Twain is one of my favorite people.
If anyone is interested, there is a fascinating commentary on his "What is Man?" as it is compared to Spinoza.
In "What is Man", there is a conversation between the Old Mark Twain and the Young Mark Twain, it's very interesting. You get to read the text and the commentary at the same time.
It's pretty deep, but makes sense.
Here's a quote from the Old Man:
NONE BUT GODS HAVE EVER HAD A THOUGHT WHICH DID NOT COME
FROM THE OUTSIDE. Adam probably had a good head, but it was of no sort of use to
him until it was filled up FROM THE OUTSIDE. He was not able to invent the triflingest
little thing with it. He had not a shadow of a notion of the difference between good and
evil—he had to get the idea FROM THE OUTSIDE. Neither he nor Eve was able to
originate the idea that it was immodest to go naked; the knowledge came in with the
apple FROM THE OUTSIDE. A man's brain is so constructed that IT CAN ORIGINATE
NOTHING WHATSOEVER. It can only use material obtained OUTSIDE. It is merely a
machine; and it works automatically, not by will-power.
IT HAS NO COMMAND OVER ITSELF, ITS OWNER HAS NO COMMAND OVER IT.
Here's the link:
http://www.yesselman.com/TwainSpn.htm
Warm regards,
Sandra Cobb
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