Another quote from A Canticle For Leibowitz:
"If you try to save wisdom until the world is wise, Father, the world will never have it."
In context, a secular scholar of a post-apocalyptic age, intent on re-discovering knowledge of the past, is reprimanding the head of an abbey for not broadcasting loud and clear the fact that they have such knowledge (even though the abbey has never hidden the fact, and the scholar has in fact been aware of it for quite a long time). The abbot responds by pointing out that the scholar is likewise not broadcasting loud and clear his opposition to the power politics of the king supporting him, and further notes that the last time those sorts of people (the power-playing king and advisers who didn't protest loudly) were in charge of nuclear weapons, humanity was nearly destroyed.
This raises the question in my mind: Is it ethical to fail to present to someone information which could be used for both great good and great evil, when there is evidence strongly suggesting that it will be used for great evil? More strongly worded, should those who have access to knowledge "try to save wisdom until the world is wise"? |
