"Asimov, Isaac - Profession" - читать интересную книгу автора (Asimov Isaac)

George was in an agony of indecision. If this was a trap, why should it be such an indirect, roundabout one? And he had to turn to someone. He had come to the city to find help and here was help being offered. Perhaps what was wrong was that it was being offered. It came too easy.
Ingenescu said, УOf course, what you tell me as a Social Scientist is a privileged communication. Do you know what that means?Ф
ССNo, sir.Ф
УIt means, it would be dishonorable for me to repeat what you say to anyone for any purpose. Moreover no one has the legal right to compel me to repeat it.Ф
George said, with sudden suspicion, УI thought you were a Historian.Ф
ССSo lam.ТТ
УJust now you said you were a Social Scientist.Ф
Ingenescu broke into loud laughter and apologized for it when he could talk. УIТm sorry, young man, I shouldnТt laugh, and I wasnТt really laughing at you. I was laughing at Earth and its emphasis on physical science, and the practical segments of it at that. IТll bet you can rattle off every subdivision of construction technology or mechanical engineering and yet youТre a blank on social science.Ф
УWell, then what is social science?Ф
УSocial science studies groups of human beings and there are many
high-specialized branches to it, just as there are to zoology, for instance. For instance, there are Culturists, who study the mechanics of cultures, their growth, development, and decay. Cultures,Ф he added, forestalling a question, Уare all the aspects of a way of life. For instance, it includes the way we make our living, the things we enjoy and believe, what we consider good and bad and soon. Do you understand?Ф
УI think I do.Ф
УAn EconomistЧnot an Economic Statistician, now, but an EconomistЧspecialized in the study of the way a culture supplies the bodily needs of its individual members. A Psychologist specializes in the individual member of a society and how he is affected by the society. A Futurist specializes in planning the future course of a society, and a HistorianЧ ThatТs where I come in, now.Ф
ССYes, sir.Ф
УA Historian specializes in the past development of our own society and of societies with other cultures.Ф
George found himself interested. УWas it different in the past?Ф
УI should say it was. Until a thousand years ago, there was no Education, not what we call Education, at least.Ф
George said, УI know. People learned in bits and pieces out of books.Ф
УWhy, how do you know this?Ф
УIТve heard it said,Ф George said cautiously. Then, УIs there any use in worrying about whatТs happened long ago? I mean, itТs all done with, isnТt it?Ф
УItТs never done with, my boy. The past explains the present. For instance, why is our Educational system what it is?Ф
George stirred restlessly. The man kept bringing the subject back to that. He said snappishly, УBecause itТs best.Ф
УAh, but why is it best?Ф Now you listen to me for one moment and IТll explain. Then you can tell me if there is any use in history. Even before interstellar travel was developedЧФ He broke off at the look of complete astonishment on GeorgeТs face. УWell, did you think we always had it?Ф
УI never gave it any thought, sir.Ф
УIТm sure you didnТt. But there was a time, four or five thousand years ago, when mankind was confined to the surface of Earth. Even then, his culture had grown quite technological and his numbers had increased to the point where any failure in technology would have meant mass starvation and disease. To maintain the technological level and advance it in the face of an increasing population, more and more technicians and scientists had to be trained, and yet, as science advanced, it took longer and longer to train them.
УAs first interplanetary and then interstellar travel was developed, the problem grew more acute. In fact, actual colonization of extra-Solar planets was impossible for about fifteen hundred years because of a lack of properly trained men.
УThe turning point came when the mechanics of the storage of knowledge within the brain was worked out. Once that had been done, it became possible to devise Educational tapes that would modify the mechanics in such a way as to place within the mind a body of knowledge ready-made so to speak. But you know about that.
УOnce that was done, trained men could be turned out by the thousands and millions, and we could begin what someone has since called the СFilling of the Universe.Т There are now fifteen hundred inhabited planets in the Galaxy and there is no end in sight.
УDo you see all that is involved? Earth exports Education tapes for low-specialized professions and that keeps the Galactic culture unified. For instance, the Reading tapes insure a single language for all of us. ЧDonТt look so surprised, other languages are possible, and in the past were used. Hundreds of them.
УEarth also exports high-specialized professionals and keeps its own population at an endurable level. Since they are shipped out in a balanced sex ratio, they act as self-reproductive units and help increase the populations on the Outworlds where an increase is needed. Furthermore, tapes and men are paid for in material which we much need and on which our economy depends. Now do you understand why our Education is the best way?Ф
ССYes, sir.ТТ
УDoes it help you to understand, knowing that without it, interstellar colonization was impossible for fifteen hundred yea~s?Ф
УYes, sir.ТТ
УThen you see the uses of history.Ф The Historian smiled. УAnd now I wonder if you see why IТm interested in you?Ф
George snapped out of time and space back to reality. Ingenescu, apparently, didnТt talk aimlessly. All this lecture had been a device to attack him from a new angle.
He said, once again withdrawn, hesitating, УWhy?Ф
УSocial Scientists work with societies and societies are made up of people.Ф
СAll right.
УBut people arenТt machines. The professionals in physical science work with machines. There is only a limited amount to know about a machine and the professionals know it all. Furthermore, all machines of a given sort are just about alike so that there is nothing to interest them in any given individual machine. But people, ahЧ They are so complex and so different one from another that a Social Scientist never knows all there is to know or even a good part of what there is to know. To understand his own specialty, he must always be ready to study people; particularly unusual Specimens.Ф
УLike me,Ф said George tonelessly.
УI shouldnТt call you a specimen, I suppose, but you are unusual. YouТre
worth studying, and if you will allow me that privilege then, in return, I will help you if you are in trouble and if I can.Ф
There were pin wheels whirring in GeorgeТs mind. ЧAll this talk about people and colonization made possible by Education. It was as though caked thought within him were being broken up and strewn about mercilessly.
He said, УLet me think,Ф and clamped his hands over his ears.
He took them away and said to the Historian, УWill you do something for me, sir?Ф
УIf I can,Ф said the Historian amiably.
УAnd everything I say in this room is a privileged communication. You said so.Ф
ССAnd I meant it.ТТ
УThen get me an interview with an Outworld official, withЧwith a Novian.Ф
Ingenescu looked startled. УWell, nowЧФ