Introduction
As we know, humanity has been interested in issues of nature and society from the very moment the first cultures appeared. To answer these essential topics, the best minds of civilizations have created science and many categories within it, some of which are mathematics and logic. Despite their technical nature, these disciplines can also be considered within the framework of the humanitarian paradigm, which can lead to the emergence of new meanings, discoveries, and reasoning. According to Elrod, quantitative reasoning is “the habit of mind to consider the power and limitations of quantitative evidence in the evaluation, construction, and communication of arguments in public, professional, and personal life” (para. 4). The purpose of this paper is to show how A Troublesome Inheritance: Genes, Race and Human History inspired and changed my quantitative thinking about mathematics and logic.
Logic as a Political Justification
The book that influenced my understanding of the discipline of logic is A Troublesome Inheritance: Genes, Race and Human History by Nicholas Wade. The author attempts to investigate various causes of the differences between human races and societies from the biological point of view that is currently being condemned (Wade, p. 4). The bottom line is that the author suggests taking the paradigm of biological substantiation as the main and objective through logical theses. This statement makes me remind that logic is both a broad, accessible, and egalitarian discipline and deeply involved structured science of the mind, which is quite paradoxical and fascinating. It is worth noting that it seems to me that this argumentative nature partly brings together the science of logic and jurisprudence. The book also shows and narrates how various numeric and quantitative measuring tools and scales may be applied to qualitative phenomena.
The History of Humankind through the Prism of Math and Logic
Nicholas Wade offers a look at the biological and historical evolution of humankind through the prism of mathematic and logic. It is fascinating to observe throughout the book how morphological features, human thinking, the context of the time, and the environment mutually influenced each other (Wade, p. 8). Studying the history of societies also provides insights into how new and unique concepts, for example, algebra, appear in the human mindset. These concepts appear due to the collision of biological and social spheres; then, they are popularized and become a cultural norm, paving the way for new algebraic discoveries. Since the book is mostly written from a stigmatized and non-popular perspective, this work offers a unique vision.
Explanation of Key Factors of Civilizational Development through Math and Logic
Despite its biological focus, A Troublesome Inheritance: Genes, Race, and Human History will be exciting and useful to both amateurs and specialists of other scientific disciplines, including mathematic and logic. Focusing more on continental territories, the author also does not miss a study of the nuances of communities in insular parts of the world (Wade, p. 12). The author not only logically describes various external and internal sources of influence on the diverse human societies, but also compares social processes and their consequences between human races. Such a detailed anthropological analysis, for example, through quantitative IQ testing, of social causation and correlations has opened for me new facets of the logical approach in aspects of historical and civilizational issues. Now I understand how logic within the framework of history can explain the emergence of various cultural phenomena, the influence of precedents, various social prohibitions, and restrictions.
It is also worth noting that my historical interest has always prevailed in the areas of the ancient world and antiquity. It was fascinating to read about how and why different communities independently developed in different ways. While reading, it also becomes clear the influence of biological and social features and patterns on the formation of such institutions as economies, hierarchies, countries, governments, and political systems (Wade, p. 12). As a result, logical argumentation and quantitative data analysis show a whole and consistent historical chain of qualitative phenomena. The mathematical and logical interpretation of social events of a humanitarian and biological nature may open up new perspectives in the fields of biology, sociology, and psychology.
Logic as a Possible Theory of Everything
It is clear that, in his work, A Troublesome Inheritance: Genes, Race and Human History, Nicholas Wade explores our world more globally from the perspectives of multiple disciplines. The author begins his research with the unrecorded ancient time point and ends with assumptions about the future (Wade, p. 6). It can be stated with confidence that this work is of enormous scientific scope. Most of all, I was influenced by the structure, systematization, presentation, and interpretation of facts; in other words, the logical argumentation of the researcher. This book serves as an excellent example of the application of the discipline of logic in critical technical, scientific categories. Perhaps in the future, it is logic that will become the forerunner of that ever-sought-after theory of everything that scientists are eager to discover.
The Importance of the Impartiality of Scientific Disciplines
In addition to new knowledge in the fields of biology, genetics, anthropology, and sociology, reading this book gave me one more valuable understanding of both mathematics and logic. However, this new knowledge is not internal but of the Meta nature. Technical and humanitarian disciplines, in particular, and the scientific approach as a whole, should be perceived outside the framework of political paradigms and worldviews. It is evident that the modern Western and even the global community is highly polarized in matters of politics, society, and economics. It is important to note that, according to De-Wit et al., “Since 1994, the number of Americans who see the opposing political party as a threat to “the nation’s well-being” has doubled.” (para. 1). It is such an independent and neutral path that will allow us to fully continue the development of the overall global progress of the human community.
Conclusion
This work is a personal reflection of the material read and its impact on personal technical mathematical and logical knowledge, as well as quantitative thinking. I have read the work titled A Troublesome Inheritance: Genes, Race and Human History of the authorship of Nicholas Wade. His book opens new horizons in the technical disciplines of mathematics and logic, providing not only new knowledge but also a Meta understanding of the issue. The work both manages narrowly focused aspects and addresses global topics. The author examines in detail controversial and acutely social questions, gives competent arguments, and, therefore, has significant scientific weight for both specialists and amateurs. It is this book that should inspire new generations of specialists in the fields of mathematical and logical research.
Works Cited
De-Wit, Lee, et al. “Are Social Media Driving Political Polarization?” Greater Good Magazine, 2019. Web.
Elrod, Susan. “Quantitative Reasoning: The Next “Across the Curriculum” Movement.” Peer Review, vol. 16, no. 3, 2014. Web.
Wade, Nicholas. A Troublesome Inheritance: Genes, Race and Human History. Penguin, 2015.