The Ancient History (2025)

18/07/2025

“In the long run, the most unpleasant truth is a safer companion than a pleasant falsehood.”
— Theodore Roosevelt, Strenuous Epigrams

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Theodore Roosevelt Jr. (1858–1919), often called Teddy Roosevelt or simply T.R., was the 26th president of the United States (1901–1909). A dynamic figure in American history, he was not only a bold statesman and reformer but also a soldier, conservationist, historian, and prolific writer. Known for his vigorous leadership style and progressive ideals, Roosevelt left a lasting mark on both the presidency and the American spirit.

18/07/2025

Garrett Morgan (1877–1963) was a trailblazing American inventor whose contributions significantly improved public safety and everyday technology. Among his many innovations were enhancements to the sewing machine and an early version of the modern traffic light, both of which reflected his talent for practical problem-solving.

Morgan's most groundbreaking invention, however, was a life-saving safety hood designed to protect firefighters from smoke inhalation. Patented in 1914, the hood featured a canvas design with two tubes—one to draw in clean air and another to expel smoke. The innovative system filtered the air and helped cool it, enabling wearers to breathe more safely in hazardous environments.

The device gained widespread recognition, particularly in the northern United States, where over 500 cities adopted its use. Morgan also secured sales to the U.S. Navy, and his safety hood was later used by the Army during World War I. Despite facing racial barriers, Morgan’s ingenuity and persistence left a lasting mark on public safety and emergency response technology.

17/07/2025

TODAY’S AMERICAN PHILOSOPHER — February 28, 2024
Henry David Thoreau

Strap in—this one's a longer read. Today, we’re diving into the life and ideas of Henry David Thoreau, one of the most influential thinkers in American philosophy. Best known for Walden and his essay Civil Disobedience, Thoreau championed simplicity, self-reliance, and resistance to unjust authority. His writing continues to inspire environmentalists, minimalists, and advocates of personal integrity.

As I work on this weekly series highlighting American philosophers every Wednesday, I’m experimenting with how to present these complex figures. People aren’t easy to summarize—especially thinkers like Thoreau, whose work blends literature, activism, and deep reflection. There’s so much to say, and I tend to write a lot.

So here’s where you come in: how do you prefer these posts? Do you like long, thoughtful deep dives like this one? Or would a shorter summary with key insights be more your style? Let me know—I want this series to spark curiosity and conversation, not just scroll-past content.

17/07/2025

🇺🇸 Melania Behind the Move? First Lady Urged Trump to Get Tough on Russia
Context:
As tensions rise on the global stage, former President Donald Trump revealed an unexpected influence in his foreign policy decisions: Melania Trump. According to Trump, the First Lady played a pivotal role in pushing him to adopt a firmer stance against Russia.

Conflict:
In a direct quote, Trump said, “Melania told me, ‘Enough is enough — show strength.’ And I listened.” This admission suggests that behind-the-scenes conversations in the Trump household may have influenced major diplomatic decisions — potentially bypassing traditional advisors or protocols.

Conclusion:
Melania's role raises fresh questions about informal power in politics. Is the former First Lady becoming an unseen architect of U.S. strategy? Or does this signal Trump's reliance on instinct and inner-circle input over institutional diplomacy?

🔎 Power couple or power play? Melania’s voice might be echoing louder in global affairs than we ever imagined.

17/07/2025

Melvin Rader (1903–1981) was a notable American philosopher, professor, and civil rights advocate whose work bridged the realms of ethics, political philosophy, and social justice. He taught philosophy at the University of Washington for over four decades, where he became respected not only for his scholarship but also for his principled defense of academic freedom and civil liberties.

Rader gained national attention during the McCarthy era when he was wrongly accused of being a communist. His public and legal defense became a landmark moment in the fight against political persecution in academia. He later authored False Witness, a compelling account of his experience, which served as both a personal vindication and a broader critique of McCarthyism and political hysteria.

In addition to his advocacy, Rader made significant contributions to the fields of aesthetics, ethics, and the philosophy of art, with works like A Modern Book of Esthetics influencing generations of students and thinkers. Throughout his life, Rader remained committed to democratic principles, civil rights, and the power of philosophy as a tool for social change.

17/07/2025

Naval Ravikant is a prominent Indian-American entrepreneur, angel investor, and thought leader in the tech and startup world. Best known as the co-founder, chairman, and former CEO of AngelList, he has played a significant role in reshaping how startups connect with investors and talent.

Ravikant is widely recognized for his early-stage investments in over 200 companies, including major success stories like Uber, Twitter, FourSquare, Notion, Postmates, Clubhouse, and Opendoor. His investment portfolio boasts over 70 exits and more than 10 unicorns, cementing his reputation as one of Silicon Valley’s most successful and insightful angel investors.

Beyond investing, Naval is admired for his philosophical insights on wealth, happiness, and self-development, which he shares through interviews, podcasts, and his viral tweetstorms. His clarity of thought on startups, personal leverage, decision-making, and life balance has earned him a large following among entrepreneurs, creators, and thinkers around the world.

16/07/2025

On October 9, 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt was formally briefed on the possibility of developing an atomic bomb. His attention had first been drawn to the issue two years earlier, in August 1939, when refugee scientists Albert Einstein and Leo Szilard warned him in a letter about the potential for N**i Germany to create a weapon of unprecedented power. Their fears were grounded in reality: Germany had seized uranium ore deposits from Czechoslovakia, giving it a crucial resource. Still, the German atomic program remained slow and under-resourced—its demands didn’t align with the fast-paced, resource-light tactics of Blitzkrieg warfare.

Meanwhile in Britain, other émigré scientists were making critical breakthroughs. German refugees Otto Frisch and Rudolf Peierls calculated that an atomic bomb could be made small enough to be delivered by aircraft. Their research spurred the formation of the MAUD Committee, a team of top British physicists who worked urgently on the project. By the summer of 1941, the committee reached a stark conclusion: not only was an atomic bomb feasible—it was inevitable.

The MAUD reports were sent to the United States, but initially languished in bureaucratic obscurity. By the time they reached the right scientific and military circles in August, the U.S. atomic effort—still small and scattered—was given new urgency. Today, Roosevelt received a comprehensive briefing on the British findings. Recognizing their significance, he immediately ordered the U.S. Army to take over the atomic program and reached out to British Prime Minister Winston Churchill to coordinate efforts. Whether this weapon could be developed in time to influence the course of the war remained uncertain—but the race had undeniably begun.

16/07/2025

American scientists conducted a large-scale study on the health of army soldiers, focusing on the relationship between genetics, height, and health outcomes. They analyzed over 3,290 genes associated with height and medical conditions.

Their research revealed a surprising trend: taller individuals appeared to have a higher risk of certain health issues, including brain damage and skin infections. These findings were consistent even when comparing participants with the same measured height.

The study also found that very tall people tend to undergo more health-related tests than those of average height. This suggests that medical professionals may monitor taller individuals more closely, possibly due to the increased risks associated with their stature.

16/07/2025

Jane Addams was a pioneering American sociologist, social reformer, social worker, public administrator, and settlement activist. She played a foundational role in introducing sociology as an academic discipline in the United States and is widely regarded as the founder of social work as a profession in the country. Addams was deeply involved in the women's suffrage movement and co-founded the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) in 1920. In recognition of her lifelong commitment to peace and social justice, she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1931, becoming the first American woman to receive the honor. In 1910, she also became the first woman to receive an honorary Master of Arts degree from Yale University.

Addams delivered lectures at the University of Chicago and was a charter member of the American Sociological Society. Her 1896 article in the American Journal of Sociology called attention to the importance of domestic labor in understanding the plight of women. She worked closely with notable philosophers and sociologists such as John Dewey and George Herbert Mead on issues including child labor, education reform, and women’s rights.

Her influential writings reflect her broad range of concerns—from urban poverty and youth welfare to feminist care ethics and public health. Works like Democracy and Social Ethics (1902), Newer Ideals of Peace (1907), The Spirit of Youth and the City Streets (1909), Twenty Years at Hull-House (1910), and The Long Road of Woman’s Memory (1916) offer deep insight into the lived experiences of immigrant women and the struggles of working-class families in early 20th-century America. Through both her writing and her activism, Addams left an indelible mark on the development of American social policy and ethics.

15/07/2025

Dr. Gertrude Scharff Goldhaber
Born: July 14, 1911
Died: 1998

A pioneering nuclear physicist, Dr. Gertrude Scharff Goldhaber made groundbreaking contributions to our understanding of nuclear fission. Born in Germany, she fled the N**i regime and eventually settled in the United States, where she continued her scientific work despite institutional barriers for women in physics.

During World War II, she conducted classified research at the University of Illinois and later at Brookhaven National Laboratory, where she became one of the few women scientists to earn distinction in a male-dominated field. Her work helped lay the foundations for nuclear energy and modern particle physics.

Goldhaber was also a staunch advocate for women in science, co-founding the Brookhaven Women in Science organization. Her career was marked not only by intellectual brilliance but by quiet persistence and a commitment to equity in science.

15/07/2025

Alexandre Koyré (born Alexandr Vladimirovich (or Volfovich) Koyra, Russian: Александр Владимирович (Вольфович) Койра; 29 August 1892 – 28 April 1964) was a French philosopher of Russian origin, best known for his groundbreaking work on the history and philosophy of science.

Koyré played a pivotal role in reshaping our understanding of the Scientific Revolution, emphasizing the importance of metaphysical and conceptual shifts over purely empirical discoveries.

15/07/2025

The love of freedom must always be tempered by the virtues of justice, duty, self-control, honor, and selflessness. Without these guiding principles, liberty risks dissolving into chaos or selfishness. True republican spirit is not just about resisting tyranny, but about building a society rooted in moral responsibility and collective well-being.

This idea resonates in the words of Thomas Paine, who captured the significance of the revolutionary spirit in his reflections on the American and French Revolutions:
“What we formerly called revolutions were little more than a change of person or an alteration of local circumstances. They rose and fell like things of course and had nothing in their existence or their fate that could influence beyond the spot that produced them. But what we now see in the world from the revolutions of America and France are a renovation of the natural order of things, a system of principles as universal as truth and the existence of man, combining moral with political happiness and national prosperity.”

What’s most extraordinary about Paine’s statement is how largely accurate it was—though perhaps he was mistaken in linking the American Revolution too closely with the French Revolution. Unlike the revolutions of 17th-century England or 18th-century France, the American Revolution occurred in a new land with untapped resources and social mobility, offering unmatched potential for genuine reconstruction. The American leaders weren’t just fighting for change; they were given the rare chance to build a new system from the ground up—an opportunity to match revolutionary ideals with real, practical progress.

The Ancient History

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