Pioneers
are afterwards long remembered for the impact they have on future generations
in expanding the horizons for us, sometimes paying great costs to further our
understanding. As Dane pointed out to me, when the space shuttle Challenger
exploded that fateful January day in 1986 while in flight, President Ronald
Reagan honored the seven who were killed in the explosion and the sacrifices
they and their families made to expand our horizons into the vast unknown that
is space. I was deeply moved as I viewed his speech, as the virtues of
sacrifice for expanding our understanding and learning for ourselves echoed
generations ago with the Renaissance thinkers and the explorers of their day.
By
the time we see Europe enter the 15th century, the problems of
medieval society began to be exposed and overturned. Whole new worlds of thought
in literature, the arts, and scientific inquiry were developing. As Emma pointed
out, the limitations of an art scene so focused on religious topics eventually
gave way to more realistic depictions of humanity and nature, as many artisans
took to appreciating the simple beauty around them and the great potential of
humanity. By emphasizing the importance of every individual, explorers and
humanists alike, such as Prince Henry the Navigator or Leonardo da Vinci, began
to see the importance of seeking individual learning and understanding of the
world around them. Knowing what was out there along the coast of Africa fueled
Prince Henry with excitement, so much so that many sailors were inspired by his
zeal for exploration. Da Vinci would delve into all kinds of fields, ranging
from painting and sculpting to an early attempt of aeronautical engineering,
seeking to push the boundaries of knowledge and culture that had then been
accepted. No longer does any one idea have merit simply because someone said it
did – it now had to be examined and scrutinized to ensure that it is correct.
I
reflected on this impact since that time. Theological pioneers such as Martin Luther and William Tyndale, along with those before them, put their lives and reputation at risk by thinking for themselves to discover truth. Whether the venture into the unknown brought danger, persecution, or ridicule, they pressed on. Later enlightenment thinkers such as
Galileo or Descartes would push this idea and challenge conventions in
astronomy, anatomy, and even the process of thinking itself. Today, we honor and revere those who gave so much
to learn for themselves and find truth, even when their very reputation or
lives were at risk
As we
continue to pioneer and explore the universe for ourselves, every one of us
must continue our search for truth with doubt and skepticism. Not that we
cannot find the answers, but with the determination that we will not settle for
anything less than the truth. We cannot allow institutions or other people to
convince us that an idea is true without checking the veracity and reliability
of the facts presented, as well as the interpretation of them.
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