Scientific Thinking Has Been the Enduring Bond Uniting Humanity Across the Longest Spans of History

Translated by Ahmed Raslan

Reviewed by Mohaned Mohammed

My Fellows,

It gives me great pleasure to join you tonight in celebrating Science Day, in the company of our dear friend and distinguished Asian freedom fighter, Zhou Enlai, the Premier of the People's Republic of China. He visits our country today as a living symbol of the great Chinese people, the pioneers of ancient civilization in the earliest eras of human thought, and the architects of the Chinese Revolution, which now stands at the forefront of the forces driving the current of contemporary history.

You know, my brothers, that I am always heartened to attend this celebration. My presence here, and the moments we spend together observing the procession of modern science as it advances across all fields, grants me reassurance and hope. To me, this scientific procession is the vibrant pulse of our nation’s movement toward the horizons of the future.

Scientific thinking is the enduring bond that has united humanity throughout the longest spans of history; it is the link that connects the peoples of the earth and unifies them at any given moment in time. Beyond thought, scientific action is the sole bridge across which our nation can cross, with strength and security, from one stage to the next. It is the power capable of collapsing the distance between underdevelopment and progress. Furthermore, scientific action is the guarantee of continuity, and the scientific method, in both thought and practice, is the most humane formula for advancement.

The scientific method is defined by three distinct characteristics:

First: It is a collective and collaborative endeavour. No individual can breach the barriers of the unknown or master knowledge in isolation. Every individual works in harmony with others, every effort builds upon those that came before, and it is the collective movement of all that explores and opens wide new horizons.

Second: The scientific method is a tool to serve life itself, not merely the individual. Science that serves only its possessor is little different from the sorcery found in the confused dreams of the Middle Ages, those who wasted their lives attempting to turn dust into gold for personal gain. They achieved nothing because their thought could not break the boundaries of their own ego.

Third: The scientific method is, by nature, an organised forward movement based on a systematic curriculum and a strategic plan. Without this, any sudden rise, no matter how high, remains a mere leap in the air or a towering wave that can do nothing but shatter and vanish against the rocks.

These standards apply to all fields of the humanities and natural sciences. Indeed, the Revolution itself, despite appearances of spontaneity, is a testament to these very principles. A revolution does not deserve its name unless it adopts the scientific method in both thought and action. Revolution is not merely the anger of rebels against oppressive conditions; Revolution is the science of comprehensive and profound social change, aimed at building a new life that fulfills the demands and aspirations of the people.

The Chinese Revolution, for example, currently faces the immense challenge of building a new life for over seven hundred million people, nearly a third of the world’s population. It was not merely an outburst of anger against backwardness, colonialism, or the failures of the Kuomintang. The greatness of the Chinese Revolution lies in the fact that it transcended all of that, moving toward the genuine transformation of the lives of seven hundred million people.

Mao Zedong and his comrades, including our dear friend sitting with us tonight, approached their massive responsibility with a full grasp of the history, demands, and hopes of the Chinese people. Thus, they were able to represent them scientifically, move them toward revolution scientifically, and begin laying the plans for great change scientifically.

For any nation, revolution is the reality that encompasses its history and aspirations in the light of the global movement of human progress. In this light, scientific revolutionary action reveals its vast, glorious, and formidable dimensions.

My Brothers,

The Arab nation stands today on the threshold of a transition from one stage to another. Let your pursuit of knowledge be the bridge we cross with strength and security into the future. Let the torches in your hands illuminate the horizons of tomorrow. May God grant you success. 

Peace be upon you, and the mercy and blessings of God.

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Address by President Gamal Abdel Nasser on Science Day

Cairo University – December 16, 1963