讀《科學的價值》——理查德·費曼

理查德·費曼 在《科學的價值》 （The Value of Science，Richard Feynman ）有這樣的一首詩，有些百讀不厭。

曾經，我站在海邊的沙灘上，陷入了這樣的深思：

　　潮起潮落 

　　無法計數的分子 

　　各自孤獨地運行 

　　相距遙遠卻又息息相關 

　　泛起和諧的白浪

　　曠代久遠 

　　在尚無生物的上古 

　　眼睛還未出現

　　年複一年 

　　驚濤拍岸如今 

　　為了誰，為了什麽? 

　　在一個死寂的星球 

　　沒有為之欣悅的生命 

　　永無休止 

　　驕陽彌散著能量 

　　射向無垠的宇宙 

　　掀動著大海的波浪

　　大洋深處 

　　分子重複不變 

　　忽然，萌生新的組合 

　　它們會複製自身 

　　由此演出了全新的一幕 

　　愈變愈大 

　　愈變愈複雜 

　　生物，DNA，蛋白質

　　它們的舞蹈愈加神奇 

　　躍出海洋 

　　走向陸地

　　站立著 

　　具有認知力的原子 

　　具有好奇心的物質 

　　憑海向洋 

　　一個好奇者在好奇 

　　我—— 

　　一個原子的宇宙 

　　一個宇宙中的原子

English:
For instance, I stand at the seashore, alone, and start to think.There are the rushing waves ... mountains of molecules, each stupidly minding its own business ... trillions apart ... yet forming white surf in unison.

Ages on ages ... before any eyes could see ... year after year ...thunderously pounding the shore as now. For whom, for what?... on a dead planet, with no life to entertain.

Never at rest ... tortured by energy ... wasted prodigiously by  the  sun ... poured into space. A mite makes the sea roar.

Deep in the sea, all molecules repeat the patterns of one another till complex new ones are formed. They make others like themselves ...and a new dance starts.

Growing in size and complexity ... living things, masses of atoms, DNA, protein ... dancing a pattern ever more intricate.

Out of the cradle onto the dry land ... here it is standing ...atoms with consciousness ... matter with curiosity.

Stands at the sea ... wonders at wondering ... I ... a universe of atoms ... an atom in the universe.