W. O. BAKER 



the courage to struggle with this side of the problem.* I think 

 particularly of an essay on "The Value of Science" by Professor 

 Richard Feynman, presented at a meeting of the National 

 Academy of Sciences in 1956. Two particular points in Profes- 

 sor Feynman's paper bear very closely on deep and abiding 

 reasons why the scientist nowadays should determine to live 

 with the paradox of choice. First, speaking of the experience of 

 science, he says: 



We have found it of paramount importance that in order to 

 progress we must recognize the ignorance and leave room for 

 doubt. Scientific knowledge is a body of statements of varying 

 degrees of certainty — some most unsure, some nearly sure, none 

 absolutely certain. 



This is an utterly revolutionary, radical notion about science 

 compared with the attitude of the general public. I believe that 

 nowadays grave errors in understanding, ranging from the 

 promise of cures for cancer and the effectiveness of antibiotics 

 to the most serious aspects of national defense policy, are 

 caused by the idea that scientific findings and judgments are 

 absolute. 



The second point related to Professor Feynman's discus- 

 sion develops further the deep, pervading opportunity for 

 scientific thought and experience really to advance the human- 

 ity of man. This is surely a call which the scientist will never 

 ignore, when the paradox of choice of exploring science for its 

 own sake versus following it for a particular practical end 

 result is expressed in such terms as these. The essence of this 

 second point of Professor Feynman is the classic truism that 

 science teaches us how little we know and how much there is 



* This matter has been eloquently reviewed by Dr. Paul Weiss in 

 his paper, "The Message of Science," Rockefeller Institute Press, New 

 York, 1958. 



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