an old text in which it was referred to, in a derogatory fashion, of course, and it sounded so interesting, and the reasons given against it were so stupid, and so obviously politically motivated, I began a search for the original materials. They were proscribed on a dozen worlds but, at last, on one world, in a black market, I found the forbidden texts.”
“What was this theory?”
“It was one of several related theories,” said Rodriguez, “pertaining to various things. They have all been proscribed, or removed from libraries, files, and such.”
“Why?” asked Brenner.
“They were uncongenial to the ambitions of certain groups,” said Rodriguez. “Thus, they were false.”
“I see,” said Brenner.
Brenner was not unaware of the political constraints to which truth, or, at least, the dissemination of it, and the statement of it, were subject. In most fields, of course, there were fields within fields, the public field, so to speak, which proclaimed the public doctrines, whatever they happened to be at the time, and was thus permitted to exist, and even serve the ends of various parties and groups, and the secret, internal fields, where a small elite of investigators, largely on their own time, and at their own risk, pursued the old quarries of reality and truth. These usually met in clandestine fashion and communicated largely on a face-to-face basis, or in contraband publications, sometimes in handscript, copied as they passed from hand to hand, sometimes roughly reproduced on small machines in basements and attics, sometimes even inscribed within microdots or recorded in invisible inks, responsive to rare reagents. Governments, suspecting such organizations, and realizing the subversive nature of their interests, often attempted to infiltrate them, to expose, and disband them. Many scientists had, as a consequence of these vigorously prosecuted inquiries, been removed from academic posts, which it was now recognized they were unfit to hold. Others, of course, were disbarred from various fields, on the grounds of academic treason. Many others, if the matter was serious enough, were assigned to correction camps, rehabilitation centers, reeducation facilities, and such. With others probation was deemed sufficient. Most scientists, of course, cooperated with the authorities involved, the governments, the parties, and such, and managed, hopefully, for their peace of mind, to enthusiastically convince themselves of the propositions which, in any case, they were required to accept. In the light of such considerations it was remarkable that the pursuit of reality and truth, with all its risks, tended to continue to attract investigators. Many other minds, of course, directed their interests, perhaps wisely, into less sensitive fields, such as physics and mathematics. Some even devoted their time to the pursuit of intricate board games.
“The theory could, of course, independently, be false,” said Brenner.
“Certainly,” said Rodriguez, “as it is a real theory, a genuine theory, and not an irrefutable theory-surrogate or pseudotheory. Similarly, that a theory must be pronounced false for political reasons does not guarantee that it is true. A fool, for example, for absurd reasons, on the basis of irrelevant considerations, such as Chian sand casting, or the flights of birds, the tracks of insects, and such, might be led to ascribe falsity to a given mathematical proposition, which happens, indeed, to be false. Luck is on his side.”
“The fool will not believe it is mere luck, of course,” said Brenner.
“No,” said Rodriguez. “He is a fool.”
“What was this theory?” asked Brenner.
“Which may be false?”
“Yes,” said Brenner.
“We are in the process of inquiring into its plausibility now,” said Rodriguez.
“Here, on Abydos?” asked Brenner.
“Yes,” said Rodriguez.
“You are not being very clear about its nature,” said Brenner.
“You might not find it agreeable,” said Rodriguez.
“Then it must be false,” said Brenner.
“Of course,” said Rodriguez.
“Of course,” said Brenner, bitterly.
“It is not flattering to the rational species,” said Rodriguez. “It does not seem to fit in well with their vanity and self-image. Indeed, perhaps it is too horrifying to be true.”
“I see,” said Brenner.
“It is sometimes referred to as the “forbidden theory,”” said Rodriguez.
“Quite scientific,” commented Brenner.
“Truth is under no obligation to be congenial or appealing, of course,” said Rodriguez, “any more than it is under an obligation to be uncongenial or unappealing. It is just what it is. Congeniality and appealingness are predicates more appropriate to our responses to truth than to truth itself. Too, there are those whom truth crushes and those whom it exalts. Truth is what it is. Whether it kills us, or makes us kings, is largely up to us.”
“I do not think I am familiar with this theory,” said