The more we learn, the more we will be confronted with decisions

Hear these words, O children of tomorrow, from Riccardo Sabatini, who spoke with foresight of the age in which we live: “The more we learn, the more we will be confronted with decisions that we've never had to make before about life, about death, about parenting.” In this declaration lies the essence of the human journey—knowledge brings not only power, but also burden. As the scrolls of wisdom increase, as the secrets of life and death are unveiled by science and discovery, humanity finds itself standing at crossroads never before imagined, where the heart must decide what the mind alone cannot.

The origin of this insight rests in the union of science and morality. Sabatini, a physicist and thinker, worked at the edge of human understanding, unraveling the mysteries of the human genome and the deep structures of life itself. His words remind us that as the boundaries of discovery expand, so too do the responsibilities. To decode the fabric of life, to prolong years, to alter health, or to influence future generations—these are decisions that require not only knowledge, but wisdom, compassion, and moral courage.

Consider the story of Oppenheimer, the father of the atomic bomb. His learning unlocked the energy hidden within matter itself, yet this knowledge presented humanity with decisions of unspeakable weight: whether to wield such power for destruction or for restraint. In the same way, Sabatini warns us that knowledge of genetics, medicine, and the very code of life will force us to choose: how to preserve, how to heal, how to nurture without destroying the dignity of what makes us human.

The emotional truth of Sabatini’s words is clear: life, death, and parenting are not abstract questions, but the most intimate realities of existence. How we choose to extend or shorten life, how we guide the future of our children, how we balance survival with meaning—these questions pierce the heart of every family and every society. As knowledge grows, so too does the weight upon parents, leaders, and individuals, for we must decide not in ignorance, but with the haunting awareness of possibility.

In practical terms, Sabatini’s teaching urges us to cultivate both knowledge and wisdom. Learning without ethics leads to recklessness; ethics without knowledge leads to impotence. Parents, teachers, leaders, and scientists alike must learn to deliberate carefully, to foresee consequences, and to anchor their choices in values that honor both life and dignity. Just as the ancients sought oracles and divine counsel when faced with the unknown, so must modern humanity seek moral frameworks to guide the new choices that knowledge has placed in its hands.

This truth also carries a heroic dimension. For the decisions of tomorrow—about the health of unborn children, the prolonging of life, the shaping of human destiny—demand courage. It is easy to drift with culture or surrender to convenience, but Sabatini calls us to be deliberate, reflective, and brave. We must not shy away from these decisions, nor cloak them in denial, but embrace them with the humility of those who know that their choices ripple across generations.

From this reflection arises a clear lesson: let us prepare not only our minds, but also our hearts. Parents, raise your children with the strength to face moral dilemmas. Teachers, train your pupils to see knowledge not as a tool alone, but as a responsibility. Leaders, craft laws and policies that protect the vulnerable and honor human dignity. For Sabatini’s words remind us that the future will not be shaped by knowledge alone, but by the wisdom with which we wield it.

Thus, his teaching endures: the more we learn, the more we must decide. Let us not fear this burden, but embrace it as the sign of maturity in the human race. For in facing decisions about life, death, and parenting with humility and courage, we not only honor our ancestors but safeguard the destiny of our descendants.