读《科学的价值》——理查德·费曼

理查德·费曼 在《科学的价值》 （The Value of Science，Richard Feynman ）有这样的一首诗，有些百读不厌。

曾经，我站在海边的沙滩上，陷入了这样的深思：

　　潮起潮落 

　　无法计数的分子 

　　各自孤独地运行 

　　相距遥远却又息息相关 

　　泛起和谐的白浪

　　旷代久远 

　　在尚无生物的上古 

　　眼睛还未出现

　　年复一年 

　　惊涛拍岸如今 

　　为了谁，为了什么? 

　　在一个死寂的星球 

　　没有为之欣悦的生命 

　　永无休止 

　　骄阳弥散着能量 

　　射向无垠的宇宙 

　　掀动着大海的波浪

　　大洋深处 

　　分子重复不变 

　　忽然，萌生新的组合 

　　它们会复制自身 

　　由此演出了全新的一幕 

　　愈变愈大 

　　愈变愈复杂 

　　生物，DNA，蛋白质

　　它们的舞蹈愈加神奇 

　　跃出海洋 

　　走向陆地

　　站立着 

　　具有认知力的原子 

　　具有好奇心的物质 

　　凭海向洋 

　　一个好奇者在好奇 

　　我—— 

　　一个原子的宇宙 

　　一个宇宙中的原子

English:
For instance, I stand at the seashore, alone, and start to think.There are the rushing waves ... mountains of molecules, each stupidly minding its own business ... trillions apart ... yet forming white surf in unison.

Ages on ages ... before any eyes could see ... year after year ...thunderously pounding the shore as now. For whom, for what?... on a dead planet, with no life to entertain.

Never at rest ... tortured by energy ... wasted prodigiously by  the  sun ... poured into space. A mite makes the sea roar.

Deep in the sea, all molecules repeat the patterns of one another till complex new ones are formed. They make others like themselves ...and a new dance starts.

Growing in size and complexity ... living things, masses of atoms, DNA, protein ... dancing a pattern ever more intricate.

Out of the cradle onto the dry land ... here it is standing ...atoms with consciousness ... matter with curiosity.

Stands at the sea ... wonders at wondering ... I ... a universe of atoms ... an atom in the universe.