from exhausting physical labor, making his life easier and richer; but on
the other hand, introducing a grave restlessness into his life, making
him a slave to his technological environment, and – most catastrophic
of all – creating the means for his own mass destruction. This, indeed,
is a tragedy of overwhelming poignancy. (2)
In other words, human reason can subdue the forces of nature
but cannot find by itself a satisfactory solution to the complexity of
the problems of mankind. In fact, these cannot be solved unless and
until we first find satisfactory answers to certain fundamental
questions: What is the aim and purpose of human life? Why are the
claims of different individuals and interests of different nations
often mutually contradictory, and how can they be reconciled? What
things are conducive and which harmful to the interests of mankind
at large? What are the common values of humanity and how are
they mutually related? Why is it necessary to protect and preserve
these values and how? What are the fundamental rights of man and
how can they be safeguarded? It is clear that human reason and its
manifestations – the sciences – do not and cannot possibly help us
to solve these questions. Let me again refer to Einstein:
For science can only ascertain what is, but not what should be, and
outside of its domain value judgments of all kinds remain necessary ...
Representatives of science have often made an attempt to arrive at
fundamental judgments with respect of values and ends on the basis
of scientific method, and in this way have set themselves in opposition
to religion. These conflicts have all sprung from fatal errors ... For the
scientist, there is only “being,” but not wishing, no valuing, no good,
no evil; no goal. (3)
Since the solution of man’s fundamental problems depends
upon satisfactory answers to the above questions and since human
reason alone cannot properly answer them, it would be well to
investigate some other source of knowledge to which we may turn
for the right answers which might help mankind in solving its
fundamental problems.
Divine GuidanceHuman intellect helps us little in the matter, because it is not
aware of any source of knowledge other than itself. There is only
one guide left for mankind in this difficult quest; and that
Introduction 3