Cogito, Ergo Sum

"Cogito, Ergo Sum" by John Foster West is a science fiction story from the early 1950s that asks big questions about what it means to be alive and aware. The story follows Marl, a thinking being who wakes up in a completely empty space. He figures out he exists because he can think, using the famous idea, "I think, therefore I am." As Marl tries to understand why he's there, he feels very alone and wants to find someone else. Eventually, he finds another being named Pat. Even though Marl and Pat are different, they become friends, which helps them feel less scared about being alive. But the story changes when they find a wall in space that separates them from their bodies. Marl then has to face the idea of existing without Pat. The book mixes feelings and logic to explore what makes us who we are, all while asking if being connected to others is important for understanding our place in the depth of consciousness.