At this point, We found ourselves standing in front of a typical Fishsonian glass-encased display. This particular display had three life size Egyptian figures grouped around a table. On the table - a couple of pots, a clay tablet, and a plate or two. I figured this to be any one of many interpreted Egyptian scene that some obscure Fishsonian professor had built after receiving his annual grant.
I mentally noted it strange that this display should be in the Hall of Ancient Fish.
Sam looked intently within the display, itself.
Half-heartily - but quietly, he continued the conversation.
"Hmmmmm ..., " he said, "Our capacity to "live in time" is no less important than our learned ability to manipulate "things."
Again he paused.
I could see his eyes going back and forth over each object in the display. He continued the conversation.
"Your Grandparents thought in terms of a two-day trip in a horse carriage to get on to the next town ... perhaps, only 45 miles away. This afternoon, you may decide to go there for dinner and return, later, in the evening, to catch the late news before going to your own bed."
He paused,
"Meanwhile, your son is thinking in terms of "nanotechnologies" that resolve changes taking place at the atomic level."
I asked,
"So where is the "level playing field" we can go to, to compare ancient man with us?"
By this time, I was getting a little impatient to know why we were here and what was going on.
Sam's eyes broke contact with the objects in the glass case, immediately before him.
He turned to me and quietly said,
"Until someone invents a time machine ... any 'level playing field' is only stuff for academic discussions and wasting research dollars."
Sam paused, placing his hand on his hips, and began looking around the Hall ... like a coach surveying a team of new recruits.
"Quite simply, it does not exist and any argument based on material changes will only lead us down a false path," he continued.
Now he was back in the conversation, I thought. We started, again, to move among the display cases located in the Hall of Ancient Fish.
As we came upon each display, Sam's eyes would move carefully from object to object. Finding nothing of interest, we would move on and Sam would continue the discussion ... picking up at the point where he had just left off.
"Each generation thinks of itself as "different" from the last generation because each of us usually finds a way to reach a little further or go a little faster than their elders ... therefore, each thinks it is becoming different from their elders."
Sam turned and looked squarely into my eyes!
"I think not ... and here is why?"
Next ... "How Long is 20 People ..."
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