Technology invades the modern world

Chapter 95 The Nobel Peace Prize should be awarded to him!

"Let us return to the previous logic.

I believe both sides have enough common sense not to start a nuclear war, because it will not benefit anyone.

What we need to do now is to find the future of mankind, not to destroy mankind, right?

Compared with Einstein, I am an optimist. I believe in human wisdom and believe that mankind will not reach the brink of extinction.

But the current situation is indeed very tense. When I came to London this time, I could feel this tense atmosphere from the English newspapers, including the unfriendly attitude of the Daily Mail towards me that you mentioned just now. I think this is also a manifestation of this tense atmosphere.

Therefore, I call for a mechanism to be established between the Soviet Union and America to avoid the destruction of humanity.

I suggest that the two sides establish a dedicated line directly from the White House to the Kremlin so that the leaders of the two countries can have a direct and fast communication channel.

I wish there had been such a channel before the Berlin crisis, and President Kennedy had called first and said, "Hey, brother, I think we can talk."

I don’t think it will come to this.”

The idea proposed by Lin Ran was historically called "hotline" and was born in 1963 after the Cuban crisis.

Of course, the hotline wasn't originally a telephone, but a telegraph-based system connecting Washington and Moscow, transmitting information via Nordic and transatlantic cables.

The first message, sent from the White House to the Kremlin, contained a test phrase: "The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog's back 1234567890"

Freeman listened and thought, "Great idea."

Lin Ran added: "It's rare for us to have a peaceful space for competition. Nuclear weapons create such a space for us, but they are also a threat to humanity. We should avoid the worst possible scenario.

Such a dedicated line can become the last line of defense for mankind.

I think it’s necessary.”

The country in the world that fears war the most is Europe.

After all, Europe was the main battlefield in both world wars.

Old Europe, which had finally enjoyed more than ten years of peace, was shrouded in the shadow of the Cold War, but cold was always better than heat.

After Lin Ran finished his suggestion, Freeman was impressed. In this era, this was a groundbreaking suggestion.

Although it sounds like just an emergency communication channel, it is indeed a very effective suggestion in the eyes of knowledgeable people.

In addition, Lin Ran also packaged it with the concept of the last line of defense for mankind.

Freeman said, "Sir Lin, I know that in addition to being a mathematician, you're also studying philosophy with Professor Horkheimer. Many people think you're a Cartesian figure of our time. I've had colleagues say that all along, and this time I really believe it."

In addition to being the founder of analytic geometry and proposing the Cartesian coordinate system, which laid the foundation for modern mathematics, Descartes also made outstanding contributions in the field of philosophy. His famous saying "I think, therefore I am" is, in a sense, the starting point of modern philosophy.

Descartes is more than just a famous quote; in his Meditations on First Philosophy, he developed methodological skepticism, attempting to establish a solid foundation for knowledge and proposing mind-body dualism. Although Lin Ran himself did not join the Fabian Society, his connection to Descartes gave him considerable prestige within the community, and many members held special expectations for him.

This is also due to Descartes's emphasis on rationality and systematic thinking, which were the core concepts of the Enlightenment. The influence of Enlightenment thought included the founder of the Fabian Society.

They advocate solving problems through education and rational analysis rather than resorting to violence, which is broadly similar to Descartes' rational spirit.

The founders of the Fabian Society were deeply inspired by the utilitarianism of Bentham and Mill and the positivism of Comte, all of which were indirectly inherited from Descartes' rational tradition.

So when Freeman mentioned his colleagues, they were most likely also members of the Fabian Society.

The Fabian Society can be traced back to Descartes to some extent, and now there has emerged a master who is expected to straddle philosophy and mathematics. He may be able to bring new theoretical sources to the Fabian Society, helping them to grow further and find their way into the future.

In addition, compared with Descartes who focused on theoretical research, Lin Ran personally participated in politics and became a senior bureaucrat in the White House. Judging from media reports, his means of struggle are not bad.

This led to European intellectuals having higher expectations of him.

This may seem far-fetched in modern times, but in that era, a large number of intellectuals really thought so.

This is the worst of times, but also the best of times.

However, after hearing Freeman's words, Lin Ran knew that it was a compliment, but he was not very happy. Instead, he thought to himself that when his life came to an end, he must not die in time and space 60.

After Descartes' death, his tomb was dug up by tomb robbers, and his skull changed hands several times before being placed in a museum. Lin Ran didn't want his skull to end up like that; the Chinese still believe in returning to one's roots and being buried in the ground.

Freeman's sigh didn't last long. He continued, "Sir Lin, do you think your suggestion will be adopted? As a senior White House official, will you raise it with President Kennedy when you return to Washington?"

Lin Ran said without hesitation: "Of course.

Both the Bay of Pigs incident and the current Berlin crisis have proven that insufficient communication poses huge dangers.

I think we need to address that danger.”

Compared to the more common 30-minute interviews on the "Face to Face" program, this interview with Lin Ran lasted a full hour.

According to interviews with the BBC's audience research department, an estimated 800 million households watched the television interview.

Among them, the audience was most impressed by the concept of "hotline".

Interviews with European citizens by major newspapers and television stations also indirectly confirmed this:
"Professor Lin is a very wise person, worthy of being a master of mathematics. I think his suggestions are very good, and I hope the Kremlin and the White House can consider them."

"Besides being a mathematician and aerospace expert, he is also a pragmatic technocrat who knows exactly what to avoid and how to achieve his goals.

The White House did not give up on letting Professor Lin take office because of the pressure from the Elephant Party and his skin color. This may be the only correct decision Kennedy made this year.

"If the White House and the Kremlin really follow Professor Lin's advice and establish a direct communication channel, then I think he should be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize next year."

(End of this chapter)