Title: Rational Polemics: Tackling The Ethical Dilemmas of Life
Author: Richard Todd Devens
Publisher: Outskirts Press; Illustrated edition
ISBN: 978-1432798802
Pages: 228
Genre: Philosophy / Politics & Social Sciences
Reviewed by: Tony Espinoza
Author Interview with Richard Todd Devens
Today we are talking to Richard Todd Devens, author of “Rational Polemics: Tackling The Ethical Dilemmas of Life.”
HBR: Tell us a little about yourself.
I am a classically trained professional pianist and piano instructor. It has been said that music begins where words end, and I totally agree. Man developed spoken languages so that people could communicate with one another. But words are limited. Music is a realm of communication that goes “between the lines,” so to speak, and can reveal emotions and meanings that mere words can only approximate. Aaron Copland said that if you want to know him, listen to his music.
That being said, words are nevertheless very important to me, and I always wanted to use them to express my ideas. And unlike public music performance or spoken dialog during a conversation (which exists in real time), a writer – like a painter – can erase and reconstruct until they have sculpted a sentence or passage that comes closest to their meaning.
HBR: What themes or messages do you hope readers take away from your book?
My book was written to be a no-holds barred, brutally honest, politically incorrect challenge to all the nonsense that most of the world has been spoon-fed since birth. It was not written for readers to agree with my ideas and opinions. It was written to provide a lot of food for thought, to encourage people to consider alternative viewpoints, and most importantly, to make them THINK…and then make up their own minds.
If I had to specify one message that I would want readers to take away from the book, it would be, “Don’t believe something just because you were brought up to do so, because everyone else believes it, or because it is the ‘right’ or ‘proper’ thing to believe. Believe something when you have evidence from your senses and when your own rational judgment tells you it is true.
HBR: When choosing the topics you hoped to cover in this book (such as religion, cannibalism, etc.), what helped you to narrow down the topics you hoped to bring light to, and which topic in particular was the most challenging to delve into?
The most important topic, or springboard, so to speak, was religion. I started with this topic in the very first chapter. From there, I branched out into other areas and topics which were of great importance to me. I had written unpublished articles on some of these topics many years ago. I looked them over, rewrote, edited, and expanded them. I also added other topics that were important to me.
I could not really specify which topic was the most challenging to delve into. All of them were challenging in their own way, and all of them would necessarily be open to different viewpoints (often diametrically opposed). Additionally, sometimes there is no “right” or” wrong” answer to a particular issue.
HBR: A good portion of this book deals with topics on a philosophical level. If you could speak with any philosopher on the subjects you covered in your book, who would you speak to, and what questions would you have for him or her?
Ever since I discovered The Virtue of Selfishness, by Ayn Rand, I came upon something that I was always looking for but never knew existed. I then read The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged, and the latter remains the most influential book I have ever read. Naturally, I would love to have met and spoken with her. The questions I would have for her would be too numerous to list here.
HBR: One thing that becomes apparent when reading this book is the amazing amount of balance between intricate research and discussion from others, and your own personal viewpoints. What was the process like trying to find balance when completing the book? Sometimes, like with topics such as religion or the origin of the universe, things cannot always be proven (in spite of what others might claim to the contrary). Also, the answers to certain questions as to whether poetic justice exists, whether revenge is ever appropriate, or what constitutes obscenity, are not always clear-cut. People come from different backgrounds and societal norms. People’s different upbringings and life experiences all play a role in coloring one’s perception of what is “right” or “wrong,” or “good” and “bad.”
My challenge was to try to be as rational as possible to come to the conclusions that I did. But I was also cognizant that this did not ensure that readers would agree with all, or some, of what I wrote. This is okay. The purpose of the book was to offer my ideas, to make people THINK (as I mentioned), and to dig deep within themselves to come up with their own conclusions, even if they were different than mine.
HBR: What would be your biggest piece of advice for upcoming or aspiring authors/writers who want to craft a comprehensive philosophy book?
My biggest piece of advice to aspiring authors would be to forget about questions such as “How many books will I sell?”, “How much money will I make?”, “Will it be a commercial success?”, etc. Money, of course, is vitally important. But, although easier said than done, all these things should be put on hold. Write a book because you have a burning desire to say what you need to say. Make it as flawless as is humanly possible. Then…after it is finished, concern yourself with the other things.
As for me, if I were given a choice between writing a masterpiece that was not a commercial success and a piece of trash that made millions, I would choose the former.
HBR: Now that you have published your book, what are your future plans? Any other books in the works?
I plan on writing my next book in dialog. A patient sees a therapist of genius who is not only trained in psychology, but philosophy. This wise woman helps free the patient from his self-imposed abyss through her compassion and wisdom. Through the dialog, I can show both sides of an issue, and play devil’s advocate…as the patient struggles, and eventually succeeds in escaping the prison of his own mind.