Franklin’s Vision

N THIS SPECIAL OCCASION of the Tercentenary, I am especially delighted to speak in honor of a polymath and an American icon, Benjamin Franklin (fig. 1). Since his death in 1790, Franklin has been revered, memorialized, and made into an educational, financial, and political icon. Through his collective work this sage has climbed to the apex of human endeavor in the sciences, public service, and statesmanship in international relations. Such great heights for a man of wit and wisdom are reached by very few in the world, both then and now. I have real connections to Franklin, though not biological in nature. My first science home in America, the University of Pennsylvania, was founded by him; the pre-Nobel recognition I received from the Franklin Institute was the medal in his name; and election to this august society has indeed strengthened my bonds to Franklin’s home of knowledge and to Franklinian ideals of “promoting useful knowledge.” In my office I have his bust for a daily reminder of what it means to be a scientist in service of society and a citizen of the world at large. For me personally, Franklin is a hero, not only for his unique and remarkable scientific contributions in the 1700s, but also for his humanitarian vision and his belief in the power of learning. He best used his own power as an accomplished scientist to influence world politics and peace. Perhaps the greatest of all of his achievements was his efforts to secure America’s independence and peace with England. Today, it is Franklin’s vision, with his spirit of compromise and eloquence, that we need in order to reach a dialogue and peace in our troubled world. Some attribute the origin of calamity and conflict to a clash of civilizations. I do not. Being a cultural product of both “East” and “West”