Monday, November 09, 2009

LATIN PHRASES -- part 2

I love to photograph doors, and when I am driving around, I am always looking for old or unusual doors. Given that I love barns, I stopped when I saw these weathered doors and the old farm equipment. The milk can was a bonus.

Here are the next two Latin phrases:
3. Habeas Corpus(HAY-bee-as KOR-pus): “You have the body”
When you wake up in the New Orleans Parish Prison after a foggy night at Mardi Gras, remember this one. In a nutshell, habeas corpus is what separates us from savages. It’s the legal principle that guarantees an inmate the right to appear before a judge in court, so it can be determined whether or not that person is being lawfully imprisoned. It’s also one of the cornerstones of the American and British legal systems. Without it, tyrannical and unjust imprisonments would be possible. In situations where national security is at risk, however, habeas corpus can be suspended.

4. Cogito Ergo Sum(CO-gee-toe ER-go SOME): “I think, therefore I am”
When all those spirited mental wrestling matches you have about existentialism start growing old (yeah, right!), you can always put an end to the debate with cogito ergo sum. RenĂ© Descartes, the 17th-century French philosopher, coined the phrase as a means of justifying reality. According to him, nothing in life could be proven except one’s thoughts. Well, so he thought, anyway.

No comments: