自伽利略（Galileo）以来，科学一直是对大自然运作的自由开放询问的四百年。科学家一直忽略了民族边界，使自己超越了政治甚至战争的暂时性关注。科学家一直反对研究中的保密，甚至皱着了解他们的发现申请专利，将自己视为为了使所有人类的利益而努力。在许多世代中，科学家的发现确实具有独特的无私品质。
(For four hundred years since Galileo, science has always proceeded as a free and open inquiry into the workings of nature. Scientists have always ignored national boundaries, holding themselves above the transitory concerns of politics and even wars. Scientists have always rebelled against secrecy in research, and have even frowned on the idea of patenting their discoveries, seeing themselves as working to the benefit of all mankind. And for many generations, the discoveries of scientists did indeed have a peculiarly selfless quality.)