So, in the end, have we learned anything from this look at why the world turned out the way it did, that's of any use to usin our future? Something, i think, that the key to why things change, is the key to everything. How easy is it for knowledge to spread? and that, in the past, the people who made change happen, were the people who had that knowledge, whether they were craftsmen or kings. Today, the people who make things change, the people who have that knowledge, are the scientists and the technologists, who're the true driving force of humanity.

And before you say, what about the Beethovens,the Michelangelos, let me suggest something with which you may disagree violently. That at best; the products of human emotion, art, philosophy, politics, music, literature; are interpretations of the world that tell you more about the guy who's talking, than about the world he's talking about. Secondhand views of the world; made third hand by your interpretation of them. Scientific knowledge is hard to take, because it removes the reassuring crutches of opinion, ideology, and leaves only what is demonstratably true about the world. And the reason why so many people may be thinking about throwing away those crutches, is because thanks to science and technology, they have begun to know that they don't know so much.

And that, if they're to have more say in what happens to their lives, more freedom to develop their abilities to the full, they have to be helped towards that knowledge that they know exists, and that they don't possess. And by help towards that knowledge,I don't mean, give everybody a computer and say, help yourself. Where would you even start? No; I means trying to find ways to translate the knowledge, to teach us to ask the right questions.See, we're on the edge of a revolution in communications technology that is going to make that more possible than ever before; or if that's not done, to cause an explosion of knowledge that will leave those of us who don't have access to it,

And, I don't think were most people want that. So, what do we do about it? I don't know. But maybe a good start would be to recognize within yourself the ability to understand anything, because that ability is there, as long as it's explained clearly enough. And then, go and ask for explanations. And, if you're thinking right now.