Thursday, May 26, 2005
George Will: The Threat to Civilization
We must admit at the outset that Red State Rabble rarely agrees with conservative columnist George Will. However, in his May 23rd Last Word column for Newsweek titled, "The Oddness of Everything" Will comments favorably on Bill Bryson's book, "A Short History of Nearly Everything."
After recounting Bryson's description of DNA, plate techtonics, the immensity of the universe, matter, energy, and indeterminancy, Will writes:
"... the greatest threat to civility -- and unltimately to civilization -- is an excess of certitude. The world is much menaced just now by people who think that the world and their duties in it are clear and simple. They are certain that they know what -- who -- created the universe and what this creator wants them to do to make our little speck in the universe perfect, even if extreme measure -- even violence -- are required."
This is well said.
After recounting Bryson's description of DNA, plate techtonics, the immensity of the universe, matter, energy, and indeterminancy, Will writes:
"... the greatest threat to civility -- and unltimately to civilization -- is an excess of certitude. The world is much menaced just now by people who think that the world and their duties in it are clear and simple. They are certain that they know what -- who -- created the universe and what this creator wants them to do to make our little speck in the universe perfect, even if extreme measure -- even violence -- are required."
This is well said.
