Discussion

Grant’s words again, this time as he lectures Greene about the necessity of his plan to stop nuclear war. Grant subscribed to Einstein’s belief that war is inevitable as long as there are sovereign nations possessing great power, and that war would now be nuclear (The Atlantic, November 1945). Do you agree with Einstein and Grant?

Einstein also believed that a “One World” peacekeeper government with global military supremacy could prevent a nuclear world war. If so, was Grant wrong to attempt to save the world through Einstein’s vision of a One World government?

Technology: “There will always be a new weapon, a better weapon developed by tomorrow’s Einstein. No, the only way to stop nuclear war is with people. Only humanity can save humanity.”

Back to Geoffrey Greene who concludes that, despite all he has seen with Einstein’s Sixth Paper, future technological advancements will not end the threat of a nuclear world war. As we move into the Fourth Industrial Revolution and welcome remarkable achievements in artificial intelligence, quantum computing, human-machine interaction and advanced engineering, are you more optimistic than Greene? What’s your confidence level that technology may one day save humanity from mass destruction, just as Einstein’s nuclear shield promised in The Sixth Paper? Conversely, do you think Greene’s statement is prescient — that only humanity can save humanity?

Reverend Stephen Beckman, the character who is out to stop Greene from finding the Sixth Paper, passionately believes that finding Einstein’s science will create an existential risk for America and that Greene’s search is “rolling the dice on our democracy.” With regard to artificial intelligence, are we witnessing in real time a “Sixth Paper scenario” of a science being developed that can save the world … or destroy it? 

Also with regard to artificial intelligence, some experts believe that it may not attain the level of creativity of the human mind. Having just read how the Fantova Sketch theory and Caesar theory were woven into the plot of Einstein’s Sixth Paper, do you think AI will one day have the creative ability? 

America’s Character: “… in order to form a more perfect Union.”

Those are the opening words of the United States Constitution (and the title of my next book: A More Perfect Union). Greene asks a sensible question: perfect is perfect, so how can something be more than perfect? He then answers, saying that these words are a message from the Founding Fathers: that Americans should never rest on their laurels, that they should always strive to improve, to become better people individually and a better nation collectively?

Do Greene’s words resonate with you? What can we do to become better people individually and a better nation collectively?

America’s Responsibility. “America is not prepared to lead a One World government. She can’t handle that power.”

Reverend Beckman again, this time giving Greene an earful from the Book of Genesis about how irresponsible America has become and ill-prepared she is to lead the world against nuclear war. Greene rejects Beckman’s plea, supports America’s ideals, and continues with his Quest to find Einstein’s Sixth Paper.

Looking at Beckman’s Genesis Sermon language below, where do you side: with Greene’s optimism about America, or Beckman’s pessimism?

•    Personal Responsibility. After Adam and Eve ate the apple from the Tree of Knowledge, God asked Adam what he did and Adam didn’t hesitate to blame Eve, who then blamed the serpent. Neither took personal responsibility for their behavior; they each saw themselves as a victim. Beckman claims that America too has become a victim nation, with people pointing fingers every which way except back at themselves, failing to take responsibility for their decisions and actions. 

•    Moral Responsibility. Cain killed Abel, God asked what he did, and Cain shrugged it off with “Am I my brother’s keeper?” Beckman sees this a failure of moral responsibility, doing something we can do but know we shouldn’t. He believes that America has lost its own sense of moral responsibility, evidenced by a long list of things we do personally and as a nation despite knowing that we shouldn’t. 

•    Collective Responsibility. Noah, the only Biblical character described as righteous, ends up drunk, naked, and an embarrassment in front of his children. Beckman blames this fall from grace on Noah’s failure to ask God to save more than just his family and the pairs of animals from the Flood, a failure of collective responsibility. He believes that Americans are no different, thinking only of themselves and not of others. 

•   Ontological Responsibility. The story of the Tower of Babel, when people disrespected God’s domain by attempting to build a tower to the heavens and ended up scattered geographically and linguistically as punishment. Beckman claims that Greene is playing God in his search for the Sixth Paper, and will suffer the consequences of doing so.