How are you faring during these increasingly anxious times?
For the most part life in the BP household is running along smoothly. MrBP is working away in his office, alone, though that's not true, he has a new associate: Scout. Scout really enjoys practicing law (under the desk) and looks forward to the walk to the office each morning. When another dog walks by on the street below she uses her best lawyer voice to make her argument. The Rascal Daughters are keeping themselves busy and are, for the most part, cheerful. Ole Rascal and his lovely girlfriend have settled into a routine of work, online game nights with friends, cooking and occasionally venturing into the city outside to acquire supplies.
I've been sick. I seem to have some sort of gastric bug, and I have no idea how I caught it considering my Lysol Wipe Life. I have been the designated person in our household for the last few weeks to venture out for supplies, and to deal with a couple of repairmen we've had to have at the house. I've been so careful. Of course these days, as soon as illness strikes, the very first thought is "Covid". I had severe abdominal pain, vomiting and fever for four days. Today I feel quite a bit better, though I still can't eat any solid foods.
There is a "gastric covid" affecting some people. I had no idea this was a thing until my dear friend Tabs sent me some articles about it. I don't think that's what I have, but honestly, who knows? I guess I'll wait and see how things play out, and in the meantime I'll isolate at home for 40 days. That's right, 40. Gastric Covid sufferers shed the virus for up to 40 days after onset, another twist in the life of this virus that we are just beginning to understand.
I'm cleaning the bathroom after I use it each time and using my own towels, washing my hands a million times a day... it's the best I can do. I won't lock myself in my bedroom alone while my family needs looking after, and it goes without saying that if I could get a test I would. Our family of four members at home will continue to isolate together.
I've been thinking about Kant these last couple of weeks. If you're not familiar with Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) what I can tell you to begin with is that he is one of the greats, the last born in a trifecta of philosopher giants: Plato, Aristotle and our man Kant.
Kant was of Scottish ancestry but was born in Konigsberg, East Prussia. He never left his city, he was a complete homebody, and in fact he could teach us much about staying home, developing routines, and even social distancing.
Every day at 4pm he went for a walk, and was known in his neighbourhood to be more accurate than the clocks themselves. After he became a celebrity philosopher in his 50's he was invited all over Europe, but he never travelled. Instead, professors, writers and philosophers came to him. When Kant was overwhelmed with visitors his servant would let them in his parlour where they would wait for him to appear in the doorway. Kant would stand and speak with them for a few minutes before going back to his study. Pretty good social distancing right there!
Kant's writings are really complex and can take years to understand. I would love to take a refresher course on Kant from a talented professor. In the meantime I find myself, especially lately, turning to his writings to look for some of his ideas that could apply to our life today.
The "Categorical Imperative" really stands out as one such idea. The basic tenet of the Categorical Imperative is "I ought not to act in any way other than according to a maxim which I can at the same time will should become a universal law". So, if I act in a certain way that act should be able to be undertaken universally, or by everyone, not just me. We are free beings, and are free to choose our own goals (and actions to attain those goals), but those actions and goals need to be compatible with other free beings acting (and striving to attain their choice of goals) in the same way.
What Would Kant Do? This is the question I keep asking myself as I read endless articles about the pandemic, about how our governments are responding and how they should respond going forward.
Kant would appeal to our rational selves, and insist that any rules we come up with should be able to be applied to everyone. That is our duty. We are not animals, living only by the laws of nature, and we are not angels, living in a transcendent space beyond the boundaries of what our senses can tell us. We have to make decisions based on what we can know empirically, and we have to be aware that our organization of that information, our interpretation of data, is our best chance to lead us to making rational decisions, decisions that are good for everybody.
If only Kant were here with us now!
I hope that you've been having a good week. Please let me know how you are doing, what your routine is looking like, and what you've been thinking over these last days.
xox,
Dani
