One of the core characteristics of what many deem “The Scientific Temper” was the universality of science. Science could, in this formulation, cut through all that divides humanity, and unite people in a common goal of progress, rationalism, health, and comity. Indeed, scientific laws don’t bend to the will of humans, alter themselves according to human biases, or distinguish between class, caste, creed, sex, or inclination. Science was thought of as a common tool of progress for humanity.
Such ideas appear to be naively utopian to many. Criticism comes from many perspectives; one of the most powerful critiques of science is that it garbs itself in universalism while its practice follows hierarchy, bias, and ideology. Fair enough. But it is important in a time of existential crisis to remember that the universality of science could apply if we let it.
Anthropogenic climate change coupled with humankind’s insatiable appetite for more demands that we innovate and build new energy solutions. As a species, we need to quickly develop and commercialize an abundant, low-carbon source of baseload power. We need to innovate quickly, at scale.
And we need to do so together with neither fear nor favor.
Enter the “Universality of Fusion Energy. “
We must not build our Commercially Viable Fusion (CVF) ecosystem in silos or with a competitive spirit in mind. We must recognize that each of us plays a role, perhaps a minor role but a role nevertheless, in accelerating the path to CVF. Across borders, across institutions, and even across device-types, we must all work together on making the entire ecosystem better.
It is okay to both offer and to brook criticism of a particular scientific approach or point out the falsity of particular claims. But it is important to do so with the universality of fusion in mind- which is to say that doing so to be petty or to gain the lead over another person or company is not prudent. We all need to get there, and we should rejoice at others’ successes.
We built ExoFusion on just this principle. We want to enable the ecosystem and do not have a dog in the race regarding who gets there first. Sure, we have a particular scientific thesis (around confinement), but we propound it because we believe it provides the best path to CVF.
With the universality of fusion as a vision, we need to collaborate and commiserate not compete and complain.