Blinded (with Science?)

[itmeanscourage]

Furious, flustered and frightened, Isamu didn’t stop running until he’d reached the plaza. Out of breath, he sunk down behind one of the larger walls.

“Of all the… it is preposterous. That is what it is…” he huffed to himself, trying to gather his thoughts. “If I were actually collecting data without consent, or in direct violation of consent, that would be one thing… but a meta-analysis? A review of pre-existing literature? How can anyone object to that on ethical grounds?!”

Someone had, though. And that someone happened to be his brother’s girlfriend. Of course, it was not a question of if Minoru would find out about an argument heated enough to make the Anthean’s eyes glow. Just a question of when.

But at the moment, Isamu wasn’t even thinking about that.

“Is curiosity, in and of itself, a crime? If learning something new is satisfying or even pleasurable, does that automatically make it as reprehensible as getting high?” He pondered loud enough for any passersby to hear him. “Is science, simply because it requires empirical evidence, ideologically unethical? Where, between theory and practice, is that line drawn and who, if anyone, has the right to decide when it is crossed?!”

Comments

[itmeanscourage]

Isamu did not know whether they were or not. But the fact of the matter was that those coming to the Nexus definitely fit the description of moving outside of time and space. For some worlds, like theirs, it was nearly a perfect 1:1 ratio in regards to time. But that was not consistent. Past versions could meet future versions, or alternate versions. The things this scientist was whispering about were nothing Isamu would call secrets.

“Curiosity.” He answered, not even lifting his head. “That, at my core, I cannot help wanting to know things. Each thing I read, hear or observe is another piece in the incredible puzzle of understanding the building blocks of the universe. I cannot NOT think that way.”

[dr_fringe]

Oddly, Isamu's assumption about his meaning was not correct, though neither of them would realize that. The Observers, the species he mentioned, and all the others that came through were an entity all to their own and a universally malicious seeming intent. Walter had yet to meet anyone here which fit the ones he was talking about, the ones that pushed him to whisper, and he hoped that it stayed that way.

"Curiosity is a good thing." Walter agrees but then shakes his head. "It is also dangerous without restraint. When I was a young man I thought the way you describe. The universe was a puzzle and I wanted to figure it all out."

Walter took a deep breath and slowed down his rather quick speaking. "I did many things that were wrong, that shouldn't have been explored, because Belly thought curiosity was the greatest goal of humanity."

[itmeanscourage]

“But curiosity, the pursuit of knowledge, scientific discovery and progress… those are the greatest goals of humanity, though. Without a doubt.” He stated matter-of-factly.

[dr_fringe]

Walter had seen so many scientists over the past year working with the Fringe Division that had that same train of thought regardless of seeing, or maybe because they saw, the destruction they were able to bring to the world.

"No matter the greatness there must be limitations." Water was looking for a proper analogy. "Hitler was a brilliant leader, many Nazis were, but they took ideology to the conclusion that greatness outweighs all other considerations."

He frowns. "Trust me. I know. I went down that path long ago and my experiments.. maybe my analogy is more accurate than I intended. Belly and I put the greatness of our discovery above the dangers and I may never find forgiveness for what I have done; to my son, my world, other worlds. Belly, he... he may be responsible for the horrendous.. actions." It was hard to acknowledge that his best friend might be the one that was making everything worse in the world.

[itmeanscourage]

Isamu was still young, only a year or so out of school with a Master’s degree and definitely still in the beginning of his scientific career. He was determined, driven and (although he swore he was the rational one of the pair) idealistic. He had not yet seen such consequences with his own eyes. At least, not yet.

“I am not a Nazi.” He narrowed his eyes. Ziggy had just compared him to the Ministry scientists, which was essentially the same thing. This was quite a sore spot at the moment. “And my research here is in no way motivated by any sort of species superiority or attempt at genocide. That kind of barbarism would never be permissible under IRIS standards and practices! Which I can say until I am blue in the face and no one will apparently believe me!”

There were limits on his research. Not so much on his thought experiments, but definitely on the actual experiments.

[dr_fringe]

"No, not yet, I suppose." Walter reins himself in partially because of his own guilt. "I thought the same of myself when I was younger but I've been enlightened, forcibly and with great... cost."

He has to take a pause to collect himself. "It is not only what you or your company will do." Walter thought IRIS was the company he worked for. "We must be cognizant of what others might do with the paths we start."

He's very adamant about responsibility after so many years ignoring it. "I have seen my own thought experiments be brought to life by others, they are quite brilliant but they should never be. Something as simple as going to save a life, to save my son, is unraveling the universe."

Walter is sympathetic but adds, quiet, fatherly, maybe even gentle. "Have you considered that no one believes you, not because they aren't listening, but because you reject the very idea that anything you ever do might bring ill?"

Walter slumps down on whatever seat he can find. "I carry that burden. Myopic view of my own work being important and having no potential for anything so bad. I thought I was doing the world good but well, even scientists can be very wrong."

[itmeanscourage]

Isamu, predictably enough, was offended by the insinuation of his supposed future.

“Several great scientists I admire and respect have speculated that all actions carry the potential for unintended consequences. I take great pride in my research for the betterment of multiple worlds through shared knowledge, but I cannot entirely ignore that fact.” He insisted. “However by your line of reasoning, the individual responsible for inventing the wheel should be held accountable for every case of vehicular manslaughter. It is ludicrous.”

[dr_fringe]

"You respect these scientists but clearly reject thier view on consequences by ignoring your own ability to cause consequences that you won't want?" Walter was trying to follow along through upsetting himself over his own work.

"I don't imagine you were talking about something as simple as a wheel when you upset the person... I've forgotten thier name... but using comparisons that are exaggerated to ridiculous states to ignore someone else's experience doesn't speak of someone who values nor respects thier fellow scientists."

Walter has been on both sides of this conversation. He has been the young man who wouldn't listen and now, sometimes he is the experienced scientist no one else listens to, how the tables have turned.

"You should open your mind before someone else, or something dreadful, opens it for you." The dark cloud he feels sometimes, the despair, is slowing his rate of speech. "I hope for your sake, and everyone around you, when you learn of consequences for selfish curiosity that the universe, universes, are kinder to you than they have been to me for mine."

[itmeanscourage]

“The point I was attempting to make, just now, is that a great many consequences are unintended, unpredictable even after careful consideration is made and all necessary checks and balances are adhered to.” Isamu clarified. “I am aware that the offensive argument was over far deeper issues than a wheel, but the hyperbole is valid. Should we, as scientists make no progress, no discovery at all, for fear that something we think, say, create or do should have even the slightest potential for a negative consequence to someone else? Could you honestly have predicted what occurred in your world at the time you were researching? Without the gift of hindsight?”

That was not a challenge. It was a sincere question.

When his frustration subsides, he’ll probably feel guilty about triggering Ziggy, or even some if the things he said and the harsh tone in which he said them. But Isamu could not understand taking blame for things he was not responsible for.

[dr_fringe]

"No! You ignore the consequences and responsibility because you believe, inside, that you won't feel them." Walter is not backing down. "This other person, you said they were upset, yes? Obviously, they see the consequences. I had many people in my life angry with me for the same reason, I didn't care because I saw myself as invincible, free of consequences. I never saw that thier anger was fear, for themselves and for what would happen to me."

Walter breathes heavily. "Yes, I suspected there would be consequences, for myself, for other people. Any good scientist should extrapolate out to know the consequences of thier work. Thought experiments, yes? We can always imagine impacts but usually ambition and feelings of superiority convince us that we don't need to or that it isn't important compared to our desires."

Walter is talking about his own youth as much as general commentary at this point but then he has a question. "This person you upset, have you considered what they see? Not for you the scientist, but as an observer without any fame or benefit from your thought?"

[itmeanscourage]

His eyes narrowed as he stared back at the older man. “No! I am not ignoring the consequences, nor all of the responsibility! Only responsibility for that which cannot be reasonably extrapolated from current data without the gift of something akin to prophecy or future sight!”

And that, surprisingly, was where the defensive outburst stopped. Isamu’s eyes suddenly widened in shock.

“Which… which he has…” he stuttered a moment. “The individual with whom I had this argument. That is an ability which he and other members of his species has. It was the topic which spurred the example hypothetical experiment to explore what regions of the brain are active during said visions compared with senses of sight and hearing…”

Isamu was quiet. He was thinking, and not just about Walter’s experience. He was, in fact, doing what the other scientist suggested. He was trying to put himself in Ziggy’s shoes. (As best a human ever could.)

He didn’t say it, but he and Ziggy had had multiple scientifically-minded conversations over the time they’d both been in the Nexus. Sometimes the Anthean happily assisted with experiment design, volunteered ideas, or consented to participate. Other times, Ziggy was highly defensive or angry. It honestly varied. Perhaps it depended largely on what was on the Anthean’s mind at the time. Perhaps Isamu was just trying to impose order on something that was inherently chaotic. After all, Ziggy kept trying to tell him that he could never understand how an Anthean’s mind worked.

Eventually, he replied, “I… I admit I do not fully understand how, but I… must have literally terrified him… quite possibly on multiple levels which I lack the ability to perceive or understand.”