Frontiers and the conquest of space introduction

Reimar Lüst

pp. 1-2

in: Jean Schneider, Monique Léger-Orine (eds), Frontiers and space conquest / frontières et conquête spatiale, Berlin, Springer, 1988

Abstract

Some people might be surprised or at least might find it remarkable to receive a joint invitation by two institutions which have activities in completely different fields, philosophy on the one hand, and technology on the other. Indeed we cannot deny that our western culture has split up into two diametrical parts. This fact has already been stressed upon by C.P. Snow in 1959 in his famous Reith-Lecture dealing with the two cultures and the scientific revolution. While one of these cultures is carried by the art, literature and humanities group, the other is with the natural scientists. Each of these groups has developed within its own culture common conceptions, apprehensions, behaviour and measures, but these two cultures are separated by a deep cleft of nonunderstanding each other.