By Stephen Hawking,
Saturday, February 15, 5:52 AM
The Washington Post
Stephen Hawking is the author of “A Brief History of Time” and a former professor of mathematics at the University of Cambridge.
The Greek philosopher Aristotle believed that the universe had existed forever. The reason humanity was not more developed, he believed, was that floods or other natural disasters repeatedly set civilization back to the beginning.
Today, humans are developing ever faster. Our knowledge is growing exponentially and with it, our technology. But humans still have the instincts, and in particular the aggressive impulses, that we had in caveman days. Aggression has had definite advantages for survival, but when modern technology meets ancient aggression the entire human race and much of the rest of life on Earth is at risk.
Today in Syria we see modern technology in the form of bombs, chemicals and other weapons being used to further so-called intelligent political ends.
But it does not feel intelligent to watch as more than 100,000 people are killed or while children are targeted. It feels downright stupid, and worse, to prevent humanitarian supplies from reaching clinics where, as Save the Children will document in a forthcoming report, children are having limbs amputated for lack of basic facilities and newborn babies are dying in incubators for lack of power.
What’s happening in Syria is an abomination, one that the world is watching coldly from a distance. Where is our emotional intelligence, our sense of collective justice?
When I discuss intelligent life in the universe, I take this to include the human race, even though much of its behavior throughout history appears not to have been calculated to aid the survival of the species. And while it is not clear that, unlike aggression, intelligence has any long-term survival value, our very human brand of intelligence denotes an ability to reason and plan for not only our own but also our collective futures.
We must work together to end this war and to protect the children of Syria. The international community has watched from the sidelines for three years as this conflict rages, engulfing all hope. As a father and grandfather, I watch the suffering of Syria’s children and must now say: No more.
I often wonder what we must look like to other beings watching from deep space. As we look out at the universe, we are looking back in time, because light leaving distant objects reaches us much, much later. What does the light emitting from Earth today show? When people see our past, will we be proud of what they are shown — how we, as brothers, treat each other? How we allow our brothers to treat our children?
We now know that Aristotle was wrong: The universe has not existed forever. It began about 14 billion years ago. But he was right that great disasters represent major steps backward for civilization. The war in Syria may not represent the end of humanity, but every injustice committed is a chip in the facade of what holds us together. The universal principle of justice may not be rooted in physics but it is no less fundamental to our existence. For without it, before long, human beings will surely cease to exist.
Read more on this issue:
* Editorial: The president’s welcome new tone on Syria
* Fred Hiatt: Senators say John Kerry admitted U.S. failure in Syria
* Morton Abramowitz: As millions suffer in Syria, America looks away
7 COMMENTS
GabsDad
7:18 AM EST
Younger people are rightly appalled and mystified by the war in Syria, but older folk remember the South American and African “proxy wars” of the 70’s and 80’s during the Cold War. These wars, like Syria, had two sides which were unable to defeat the other. They were violent and destructive. Ultimately they were fought until both sides were exhausted, ending in a draw. We cannot make either side in Syria stop fighting. The best we can do is limiting the arms flowing into the region. But with Russia and Iran arming Assad with everything he needs the options are few. This dirty little war will drag on for a while longer.
Wildthing1
7:14 AM EST
Wars are a compromise of principle for human dreamed up goals. To win we become our own worst enemy. We give up our principles to protect them. The human race has to get beyond the present civilization that worships the logic of war in all of its institutions. We now have raped and pillaged the planet and being a holistic system we have to see that we are raping and pillaging ourselves with grand strategic schemes as if it 2 or more centuries ago..
slightlycrazy
7:09 AM EST
he just noticed this?
Holla
26 7:06 AM EST
The best way to stop a small war is to start a bigger one? Stephen I am a big fan but you are getting close to "the ends justify the means." Remember, Darth Vader and The Emperor's goal was to end all wars....especially those of the revolutionary kind.
Curmudgeon 10 7:01 AM EST
Yes, this war must end. But so should all wars. As long as humans live her, Dr. Hawking, there will be war.
Wildthing1
6:59 AM EST
No one brings it up, though, when there is an axis of evil to take down like Iraq and now Syria and Iran. The reports on Iraq were wildly over exaggerated so who do we believe now. No one fretted over Iraqi refugees that fled to Syria to begin with. Now we are so concerned we may be accused of wanting the cause so our wished for actions can be the effect, regime change
In Kuwait it turned out the incubators taken from under babies were in the imagination of a Kuwaiti hired pr firm in Washington DC.
Meanwhile we still have agent orange birth defect babies born in Vietnam of a war long ago and cluster bombs found as children playthings and mines that may be hit when a farmer does everyday work and depleted uranium birth defects occurring in Iraq that get no reports at all.
All wars are false profits some are always eager sell them and help dissidents so they can make profits out of them. Then they cry something must be done. If the something done is war for one sided interests they are just the causes and conditions of another war after that.
Don't fool yourself some will find lots of death and destruction will pave the way for easier control as population control and even more profits in reconstruction profiteering ahead. It is short term profit and the long term likelihood humans civilization may totally fail.
khmdesign
6:52 AM EST
How does one comment on what this man says? His words reduce the all the world's greatest leaders to nothing.
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