I'm not much interested in extrapolating science and technology;

"I'm not much interested in extrapolating science and technology; I merely use extrapolation as a means of putting people into new quandaries which produce colorful pressures and conflicts." These words, spoken by the great Alfred Bester, cut to the heart of an ancient truth: it is not the mere prediction of the future that matters, but the exploration of how humankind will react when faced with forces beyond their control. Extrapolation, the act of extending what we know into the unknown, is not for the sake of knowledge alone. Rather, it is a tool—a key to open the door to new challenges, conflicts, and pressures that stir the soul and shape the future. The true test of humanity does not lie in the answers we seek, but in the way we respond to the unknown.

Consider the ancient Greeks, who, though they lacked the technology of today, saw the future through the lens of mythology and philosophy. They understood that the world was in constant flux, driven by forces that were beyond comprehension. Their gods and heroes were symbols of this eternal struggle, not of certainty, but of conflict, of the tension between order and chaos, knowledge and ignorance. The Greeks knew that the future was not a series of neatly predictable events, but a web of endless possibilities, each one carrying its own weight of pressure and consequence.

Bester’s words remind us that the real power of science and technology is not in their potential to offer simple solutions or clear visions of the future. Rather, it lies in their ability to challenge us, to stretch the very limits of our understanding, and to place us in situations where the true nature of humanity is revealed. It is not the machines we build that define us, but how we react to the world we create with them. For each new invention, each new leap forward in technology, creates a new set of dilemmas. These dilemmas are the very crucible in which the character of society is forged.

Look, then, to the story of Galileo Galilei, who, with the invention of the telescope, did not simply offer humanity a new way of seeing the heavens. No, what Galileo brought was a new way of understanding the very nature of the universe—a view that challenged centuries of established doctrine, a view that placed man at the mercy of forces he could not control. The questions Galileo raised were not those of knowledge alone, but of belief, of power, and of the fragile balance between progress and tradition. The conflict that followed his discovery was not a simple matter of scientific exploration, but a dramatic clash between the new world and the old.

In our own time, we see the same forces at work. The advent of artificial intelligence, the rise of genetic engineering, and the rapid march of technology all create new and unpredictable challenges for humanity. We are no longer content with merely understanding the world; we seek to shape it, to control it, and in doing so, we find ourselves confronted with questions that have no easy answers. What happens, then, when technology advances faster than our understanding of its consequences? What happens when the very tools we create to better our lives become the sources of unforeseen pressures and conflicts?

This is the heart of Bester’s wisdom. Science and technology are not simply the tools by which we advance; they are the forces that shape us, that test our limits and our values. The true purpose of extrapolation is not to predict the future, but to throw us into the crucible of uncertainty, where the choices we make will define our future. To look forward is to face the unknown with the full understanding that our actions will have consequences far beyond our comprehension. It is in these moments of pressure that the greatness—or the folly—of humanity will be revealed.

Let us, then, take Bester’s words to heart. As we move forward into a future shaped by science and technology, let us remember that it is not the certainty of our answers that will matter, but our willingness to face the challenges they bring. We must be prepared to meet the conflicts, the dilemmas, and the pressures that arise from the very tools we create. We must, like the great thinkers of old, be ready to wrestle with the unknown, to confront the consequences of our actions, and to shape a future that is not defined by the answers we seek, but by the strength and wisdom we find in the process of discovery.

In your own life, then, when faced with the challenges of an ever-evolving world, do not seek only to predict or to control, but to embrace the conflicts that arise. Extrapolate not as a means of gaining knowledge, but as a way to understand the deeper forces at play in your life. Let your actions, your decisions, and your responses to the unknown be the measure of your greatness. The future is not a series of clear answers waiting to be discovered—it is a realm of questions, of conflicts, and of pressures that will test the very core of who you are. It is in the struggle, not the certainty, that the true journey lies.