第50部分(第6/7 页)

　rational。　Everything　made　sense　to　a　scientist；　and　if　it　didn't　make　sense；　it　was　dismissed　as　what　Einstein　called　the　〃merely　personal。〃

The　merely　personal；　he　thought；　in　a　burst　of　contempt。　People　killed　each　other　for　reasons　that　were　〃merely　personal。〃

DEEPSTAR　III　…　CHECKLIST　OPTIONS

Descend Ascend

Secure Shutdown

Monitor Cancel

Norman　pressed　〃ASCEND。〃　The　screen　changed　to　the　drawing　of　the　instrument　panel；　with　the　flashing　point。　He　waited　for　the　next　instruction。

Yes；　he　thought；　it　was　true：　scientists　refused　to　deal　with　the　irrational。　But　the　irrational　side　didn't　go　away　if　you　refused　to　deal　with　it。　Irrationality　didn't　atrophy　with　disuse。　On　the　contrary；　left　unattended；　the　irrational　side　of　man　had　grown　in　power　and　scope。

And　plaining　about　it　didn't　help；　either。　All　those　scientists　whining　in　the　Sunday　supplements　about　man's　inherent　destructiveness　and　his　propensity　for　violence；　throwing　up　their　hands。　That　wasn't　dealing　with　the　irrational　side。　That　was　just　a　formal　admission　that　they　were　giving　up　on　it。

＇＇343＇＇　The　screen　changed　again：

DEEPSTAR　III　…　ASCEND　CHECKLIST

1。　Set　Ballast　Blowers　To：　On

Proceed　To　Next Cancel

Norman　pushed　buttons　on　the　panel；　setting　the　ballast　blowers；　and　waited　for　the　next　screen。

After　all；　how　did　scientists　approach　their　own　research？　The　scientists　all　agreed：　scientific　research　can't　be　stopped。　If　we　don't　build　the　bomb；　someone　else　will。　But　then　pretty　soon　the　bomb　was　in　the　hands　of　new　people；　who　said；　If　we　don't　use　the　bomb；　someone　else　will。

At　which　point；　the　scientists　said；　those　other　people　are　terrible　people；　they're　irrational　and　irresponsibl