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The following books by Robert Paul Wolff are available on Amazon.com as e-books: KANT'S THEORY OF MENTAL ACTIVITY, THE AUTONOMY OF REASON, UNDERSTANDING MARX, UNDERSTANDING RAWLS, THE POVERTY OF LIBERALISM, A LIFE IN THE ACADEMY, MONEYBAGS MUST BE SO LUCKY, AN INTRODUCTION TO THE USE OF FORMAL METHODS IN POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY.
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Sunday, April 19, 2020

IT WAS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME


While I was meditating in my deep philosophical fashion on the larger meaning of the current pandemic, news came that one of the staff here at Carolina Meadows had tested positive.  He last worked here on April 10th, and since has been furloughed [on full pay].  Ten of his fellows who worked in close proximity to him were furloughed on Friday.  He worked taking phoned dinner orders from residents and packing the bags with dinners that are delivered each early evening to our doors.  Has he infected other workers?  Residents?  Have I been successful in protecting my wife and myself?  Time will tell.

12 comments:

James Camien McGuiggan said...

Jesus, professor. Wishing you all well.

s. wallerstein said...

The virus doesn't seem to spread through food.
https://www.webmd.com/lung/qa/can-coronavirus-spread-through-food

I think that the guy who takes the phone orders has more to worry about than you and your wife do.

Anonymous said...

Wow. Hang in there. We need you.

CDB said...

I'm sorry to hear about this. You and your wife need to monitor for symptoms (namely fever, dry cough, shortness of breath, and fatigue). In particular, you two should take your temperatures daily to check for a fever. In addition, use disinfectant wipes (or disinfectant spray) to clean high-contact surfaces daily: door handles, light switches, refrigerator handle, microwave handle/buttons, oven handle/buttons, toilet handle, faucets, remotes, phones, tablets, etc.

Take it one day at a time.

Unknown said...

I was referred to your lectures by my philosophy professor at Cal State East Bay, Hayward, CA. I am watching lecture 1 as I type this email. Your knowledge on Kant and your stories are brilliant and inspiring. Your mind is stronger than this virus and pandemic. I think and know that you sand your wife will be well. Stay professing.

Unknown said...

Please keep safe.
At least you're not forced into going to work.

Nat P.

Anonymous said...

If you really want to protect your wife, swallow your pride, get out of there, and go stay with family.

Matt said...

As S Wallerstein notes, there is no real evidence of transmission via food, and there is actually extremely little evidence of transmission via surfaces. The vast majority seems to be via "close" interaction, meaning usually (but not always) w/in 6 feet, often less, for more than 15 minutes. So, from this guy, at least, you're likely to be okay from what you're describing.

Be careful and safe, but probably, if you are distancing properly, you are okay.

Jerry Fresia said...

His departure date of 10 April provides some reassurance. When I return from grocery shopping, my wife then wipes all the containers with Rubbing Alcohol Wipes. But I think S. W. is correct about transmission through food/containers.

At this point, I think it would be a mistake to stay with family. Total isolation seems to work best and you and your wife have developed isolation. Best not to disturb it.

Christopher J. Mulvaney, Ph.D. said...

It seems like you have taken every precaution. You could get a digital subscription to the NYTs and eliminate the paper quarantine. We have one and only get the Sunday paper delivered. It has taken a while, but I have finally become accustomed to doing the crossword puzzle online. The really high risk, as we all have seen lately, is in assisted living and nursing homes where there are lots of staff who can carry the virus into the facility. We anticipated this problem and my wife's family moved my 95 year old mother in law out of assisted living and into my sister in laws house a little over three weeks ago.

Since your current living situation allows you to stay isolated, stay put.

Indicently, the generic ballot has the Democrats ahead by 7.9 points. That's indicative of a Democratic landslide. I check that number periodically and the democratic support has remained pretty steady since the beginning fo March.

Robert Paul Wolff said...

Chris, I do the puzzle online but Susie likes to read the paper,so we still get it. By the way, I had no idea you were a serious pianist. Cool!

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