Rationality Essay
It has been proven that humans and monkeys have almost identical genetic makeup, so that leads to the question who is the most rational animal? Those who believe in evolution will still tell you man, if humans evolved from monkeys wouldn’t that make us smarter and more logical? If you look at it in that sense, monkeys were able to adapt themselves to their surroundings enough to become an entire different being. Before it can be determined who the most rational animal is, the definition of rationality should be explained. Rationality is the quality of being based on or in accordance with reason or logic. With that being said all animals are logical if they have the ability to decide what needs to be done to survive. Man no longer has this advantage because of fear of looking weak or inferior,the more man thinks on a situation the less logical their conclusion becomes.
In Daniel Kahneman’s Thinking, Fast and Slow, he discusses that the human brain operates by two systems; “System 1- Operating automatically and quickly, with little or no effort and no sense of voluntary control.” and “System 2- Allocating attention to the effortful mental activities that demand it, including complex situations.” As humans develop into adulthood system 2 would essentially feel more natural and be used quite often. This statement could not be anymore incorrect as it pertains to F Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby and its characters. Their action are mainly spur of the moment things and the consequences of said actions further exemplify that. Daisy Buchanan, one of the book’s main characters, is system 1 thinker without question. From her flourishing relationship with Jay Gatsby, to her friendship with Jordan and Nick, and even her marriage with Tom, she does not give anything much thought. Though it all can not be blamed on her own actions due to the fact she has not needed to think for herself. When she finally has to fend for herself it all seems like a foreign land.
If Daisy were ever asked why she waited for Gatsby after he went to war, her response would either be...