"Hawking’s
humility and graciousness would be rare in any age, but particularly at
a time when conceding even the slightest error is viewed as a weakness
to be derided and exploited. As key scientific fields like climate
change and vaccinations become politicized, this kind of rigidity also
infects how we do and don’t discuss them. Public-facing scientists
become reluctant to concede uncertainty about data for fear that the
admission will undermine funding and support for their research. The
result: well-intentioned intellectuals who feel obligated to present
science as a series of truths not to be argued or doubted.
"If Hawking’s life can teach anything to scientists, public
intellectuals and social media users, it’s that humility and a
willingness to change one’s mind are a sign of not weakness but an
adventurous and intellectually engaged mind and polity. That’s a legacy
as worthy as Hawking’s monumental scientific achievements."
