Why?

We hear it over and over from the youngest of our ranks... but I think it might be one of the most critical words ever spoken in any language...

"Your intelligence is protecting your ignorance. In science we must not think that 'things are as they are' and that an intelligent person is one who discovers this fact. In science, we must treat our knowledge of events as a form of ignorance. Then we are free to ask, 'Why is this as it is?' For example, we are told that we should never pour water on acid. If we learn this piece of information, it may allow us to appear intelligent. But we are in fact ignorant. And unless we learn 'why' we should not pour water on acid, we will invite disaster. For one day, knowing the fact but not the 'why,' then we would never have made this error. In science, then, we must always understand causes and effects and know the 'why' of things. Otherwise we are ignorant with facts." --Unknown High School Science Teacher

---Me.