9. The life and the afterlife

Abstract

‘The life and the afterlife’ considers the challenges for Voltaire’s biographers. It is not easy to write a satisfactory account of his life: we know too much and too little. Another challenge is the long shadow cast by Voltaire’s reputation. Voltaire’s name is synonymous with a set of values: dislike of bigotry and superstition, belief in reason and toleration, freedom of speech. He has been a model for other great writers who have adapted these values to the struggles of their own day. This is a potent legacy, but not a static one. In true Enlightenment spirit, we continue to dialogue with Voltaire, and in so doing perpetuate his legacy.

A US National Study of the Association Between Income and Ambulance Response Time in Cardiac Arrest

“…In conjunction with decreasing EMS supply, emerging news of poorly staffed and underregulated ambulance companies declaring bankruptcy after privatization could further exacerbate total EMS time . Because low-income patients are more dependent on EMS for hospital transport, these reductions in prehospital services likely have disproportionate, detrimental downstream influences on the poor, exacerbating rather than alleviating health disparities …”