Quotes
-
Dr. Larry Fleinhardt : What is that old saying: "Applied physicists are from Venus, theoretical physicists..."
Charlie Eppes : "... wonder why it rotates in the opposite direction."
-
Dr. Larry Fleinhardt : The human spirit is immeasurable
-
[Later at CalSci, Charlie is still thinking about his last exchange with Scott, standing in front of chalkboards filled with equations]
Charlie Eppes : Jonas Hoke's last hurdle.
Dr. Larry Fleinhardt : Oh yes, his equation seeking to predict a person's chance at success.
Charlie Eppes : He never got to finish it. I thought maybe I'd give it a shot myself.
Dr. Larry Fleinhardt : Why? To what end. This work is just a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Charlie Eppes : How do you mean?
Dr. Larry Fleinhardt : Well, Charles, if we use numbers to choose who among us gets opportunity, then by definition, those we haven't chose, don't. And that's not science. Well, it's not good science. It's like, every year, college football chooses a national champion, but they use computers to determine which two teams play for the title. And every year, invariably, some team gets left off that believes, well, it could have won the game, on the field, if it had just been given the chance.
Charlie Eppes : I've always believed that it was my duty to develop mathematical tools, and someone else's to use them wisely. Could I have been wrong?
Dr. Larry Fleinhardt : The consequence of our understanding sub-atomic particles was a horrible bomb that transformed the world we live in, and a source of energy, the basis of life-saving techniques, and an indispensable scientific tool. Science - you know, science, not this
[he gestures to the chalkboard of equations]
Dr. Larry Fleinhardt : but real science, is discovery, Charles. Not invention. The truths are there, whether we find them or not.
[Larry heads toward the door]
Dr. Larry Fleinhardt : Listen, I'm going to grab a bite to eat, do you wanna come?
[Charlie sighs and doesn't move to follow, and Larry sighs back at him]
Dr. Larry Fleinhardt : Okay.
Charlie Eppes : Thank you.
[Larry leaves, and Charlie goes back to regarding the chalkboard, deep in thought]
