| Let us examine the three purposes of writing: to | | | | conscience is the destruction of nature and the |
| inform, entertain, and enlighten. To me, the second | | | | violation of human rights by rogue companies who |
| one is bottom of the list, though it is instrumental in | | | | are efficient in their use, or rather abuse, of their |
| the achievement of the two others. Every great | | | | environment and their workers to satisfy their greed. |
| teacher knows this intimately and readily laces his | | | | My other reason is that my role as a writer who |
| teachings with relevant and interesting stories, and | | | | informs about scientific facts and theories those |
| humor. | | | | among his readers who are ignorant of them is |
| The first purpose, to inform, comes second in my | | | | indeed that of a mere vehicle. It is very much |
| mind, whereas the last, to enlighten, comes first. To | | | | secondary to the role of researcher, which drives the |
| explain my attitude, I think it appropriate to draw | | | | scientific enterprise thanks to advanced |
| your attention to my book A REASON FOR LIVING, | | | | instrumentation plus skillful, scholarly, and clever |
| where both of these purposes are pursued. | | | | observations and rationalizations. |
| Part of my book relays factual or theoretical | | | | By contrast, my role as a thinker who strives to |
| information about things like human physiology, | | | | enlighten his readers, particularly those who are |
| nutrition, and universal evolution. This information | | | | fumbling for meaning in their darkest days, is in the |
| relates to the current perception of reality in scientific | | | | driver's seat, so to speak. Not only is it concerned |
| circles. I am just a vehicle for it. Now, for two | | | | with everything that makes life worth living and gives |
| reasons, my role as a writer who informs about | | | | humans a sense of purpose, but also it does more |
| scientific facts and theories those among his readers | | | | than mirror the light of wisdom; it generates it by |
| who are ignorant of them comes second in my mind | | | | force of thinking on the basis of experience and |
| to my role as a thinker who strives to enlighten his | | | | study. |
| readers, particularly those who are fumbling for | | | | Truth to tell, my readers can likewise think for |
| meaning in their darkest days. | | | | themselves (this applies to those among them who |
| My main reason is that I regard wisdom as | | | | are fumbling for meaning in their darkest days). They |
| paramount, whereas the knowledge of the material | | | | themselves can be thinkers and create their own |
| world (i.e., the constituents, structure, and workings | | | | wisdom while discovering and evaluating mine. |
| thereof) is not equally important, however useful it is | | | | Therefore, the light shining through in my book is |
| on a practical level. Conscience comes before science, | | | | there to help my readers see a range of weighty |
| which in itself is incapable of providing humans with a | | | | matters on which they can meditate to form their |
| sense of what is good, right, or sacred - in a word, | | | | own thoughtful opinions about them. And since they |
| with moral principles. An example of science without | | | | can do so, I venture to argue that they should. |