Templeton Prize-winning Physicist Pushes Back Against Anti-intellectualism

Frank Wilczek, the Nobel-winning theoretical physicist whose research transformed humanity's understanding of the fundamental forces of nature, was announced Wednesday as the winner of the prestigious 2022 Templeton Prize

Washington, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 11th May, 2022 ) :Frank Wilczek, the Nobel-winning theoretical physicist whose research transformed humanity's understanding of the fundamental forces of nature, was announced Wednesday as the winner of the prestigious 2022 Templeton Prize.

The 70-year-old told AFP he saw the award as a testament to the inspiring power of science, at a time when scientists themselves are increasingly under fire by anti-intellectual elements in society.

"In the United States, where I live, it's in our face in recent years, and a whole political party is dedicated towards it. It's very unfortunate," the MIT professor said.

"These people are saying, 'Oh, I can find my own information on the internet.' There wouldn't be an internet without understanding quantum mechanics and science, and all the hard work that engineers have put into this!" Such designers and builders of complex systems, Wilczek said, "should get a certain amount of credibility from that: they build bridges that don't fall down usually, and vaccines that work.

" But he acknowledged some alienation was due to "perceived arrogance" by certain members of the scientific community, who he said must earn their credibility through patience, tolerance and honesty.

Valued at more than $1.3 million, the Templeton prize is one of the world's largest annual individual awards, honoring those who explore the deepest questions of the universe and humankind's place within it.

Past laureates include Mother Teresa and Jane Goodall.

"Throughout Dr Wilczek's philosophical reflections, there is a spiritual quality to his ideas," said Heather Templeton Dill, president of the John Templeton Foundation, in a statement.

"By uncovering a remarkable order in the natural world, Dr. Wilczek has come to appreciate different ways of thinking about reality, and through his written work, he has invited all of us to join him in the quest for understanding."