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What, then, is the meaning of it all? What can we say to dispel the mystery of existence?

If we take into account-not only what the ancients knew, but all of what we know today that they didn't know-then I think we must frankly admit that we do not know.

But, in admitting this, we probably found the open channel.

This is not a new idea; this is the idea of the age of reason. This is the philosophy that guided the men who made the democracy that we live under. The idea that no one really knew how to run a government led to idea that we should arrange a system by which new ideas could be developed, tried out, and tossed out if necessary, with more new ideas bourght in-a trial-and-error system. This method was a result of the fact that science was already showing itself to be a succesful venture at the end of the eightennth century. Even then it was clear to socially minded people that the openness of possibilites was an opportunity, and that doubt adn discussion were essential to progress into the uknown. If we want to solve a problem that we never solved before, we must leave the door to the unknown ajar.

We are at the very beginning of time for the human race. It is not unreasonable that we grapple with problems. But there are tens of thousands of years in the future. Our repsoniblity is to do what we can, learn what we can, improve the solutions, and pass them on. It is our responsiblity to leave the people of the future a free hand. In the impetuous youth of humanity, we can make grave erros that can stunt our growth for a long time. This we will do if we say we have the answers now, so young and ingorant as we are. If we suppress all discussion, all criticism, proclaiming "This is the answer, my friends; man is saved!" we will doom humanity for a long time to the chains of authoriy, confined to the limits of our present imagination. It has been done so many times before.

It is our responisblity as scientists, knowing the great progress which comes from a satisfactory philosophy of ignorance, the great progress which is the fruit of freedom of thought, to proclaim the value fo this freedom; to teach how doubt is not to be feared but welcomed and discussed; and to demand this freedom as our duty to all coming generations.

-- Richard Feynman

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This we will do if we say we have the answers now, so young and ingorant as we are.

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[ April 11, 2005, 09:50 PM: Message edited by: Tater ]

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