| Scientists
are natural ambassadors...It is only scientists who bring people and
nations together. Independent of history, religious faith, economic
status, gender or color of skin, scientists work together and have worked
together to pursue a common goal, i.e. a deeper understanding of nature
and culture.
Ernst
Pöppel
Dear Mr.
President,
Scientists
are natural ambassadors.
I consider
it a great opportunity to get your attention for what I believe is an
important scientific and societal issue.
Who am
I? A neuroscientist born in 1940 in an area of Germany which is now
Poland. I belong to the group of people who lost everything after expatriation,
and who had to start again at a new place owning only what they had
and have in their head, i.e. their brain.
With my experiences I have come to the conclusion stated in the beginning:
Scientists are natural ambassadors.
It is
only scientists who bring people and nations together. Independent of
history, religious faith, economic status, gender or color of skin,
scientists work together and have worked together to pursue a common
goal, i.e. a deeper understanding of nature and culture. As this is
the case, I believe it is necessary to use the sciences building bridges
between cultures.
Although
your administration is presently deeply involved, and necessarily so,
in fighting terrorism, I believe, Mr. President, that a long-term issue
should also be tackled by your administration.
Let me
use a picture from physics. Stability is only given if an object rests
on three legs. This is also true in global politics. A longterm balance
is given if three large blocks develop and maintain their identity.
This is of course the US, but which is also East Asia (in particular
China), and Europe (in spite of some present hesitations to see its
identity and its global mission). In a world of three large areas of
cultural identity, i.e. US, East Asia and Europe, each one of equal
importance and expressing respect to the others, we can hope for longterm
stability.
It is
the scientists in all these countries to create the necessary atmosphere
and provide the societal glue to reach that goal.
With all
respect
Ernst
Pöppel
Neuroscientist
Chair of the Board of Directors at the Center for Human Sciences
Director of the Institute for Medical Psychology, University of Munich.
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