The Power of Ideas

I have been thinking a lot about ideas and their role in human history.  I and other WWTFT authors have been reading a lot about the American Revolution, its causes, and what motivated the people Americans call our founders.  I recently read a book by Russian emigre Leon Aron about the last Russian revolution.  In it Aron talks about what he calls the ultimate questions:

• Who are we?
• Do we live honorably?
• How should we live?
• What is virtue?
• What is evil?

Ideas about the answers to these questions motivated not only the Russian revolution which brought about the collapse of the Soviet Union, but also the birth of the United States.   The results are proof of the power of ideas and the nature of universal truth.

Best-selling author Andrew Klavan made these remarks about the power of ideas on the anniversary of the WTC attacks in 2009.  It’s powerful stuff.