I Am, Therefore I Think

I Am, Therefore I Think by Jerry Bell is a book with a strong appeal to fans of philosophy, a collection of essays that examines the thinking process and demonstrates the human person's ability to attain knowledge. Written by a writer who has been many things — a music teacher, a bus driver, a restaurant owner, a soldier, and an oil-field roughneck — this book explores a wide range of philosophical topics. The author writes about the primary principle of self-knowledge appreciating the universe and the world within, examines the proverbial sexist argument that pits male against female, discusses the place of imagination and creativity in the art of thinking, demonstrates how love is the central energy of the universe, and brilliantly presents themes like time — considered as something completely different from the ordinary understanding as a force that happens one minute after another— tolerance, divine harmony, balance, and a lot more.

In a tone that is casual and conversational, Jerry Bell takes a surprising philosophical position, one that confronts the rationalist ideas of ''Thinking'' and dares to look beyond thinking itself. The reader immediately understands that thought isn't a pre-condition for existence but an outcome of a process of searching, of questing, of longing. In a way, this book answers the question: ''How do we pursue a thought to a logical conclusion before setting it aside, or take an abstract thought and dissect it, to find where it takes us?'' In the author's own words, it is a book ''about how the Universe works.'' Readers will understand why it is important to know who they really are, how they function, and what makes them do what they do. While there are so many ramblings and unnecessary repetitions in this book, the author presents ideas in a logical and succinct manner, weaving realistic examples from his life into the writing, and inviting readers to examine themselves. From the existential to the metaphysical, Jerry Bell offers reflections that are illuminating and in prose that is not only accessible but engaging in I Am, Therefore I Think.