To the field of synthetic chemistry belongs an array of responsibilities which are crucial for the future of mankind, not only with regard to the health and needs of our society, but also for the attainment of a deep understanding of matter, chemical change, and life.
Interpretation
Synthetic chemistry plays a vital role in addressing societal needs and understanding the fundamental aspects of matter and life.
Elias James Corey's quote emphasizes the significant responsibilities held by synthetic chemistry in promoting the health and well-being of society. It highlights not only the practical applications of chemistry in solving immediate problems but also the importance of understanding the deeper principles of matter and chemical changes that shape life itself, suggesting that advancements in this field are essential for the future of humanity.
In practice
During a scientific conference, I used this quote to highlight the importance of chemistry in modern society.
To a synthetic chemist, the complex molecules of nature are as beautiful as any of her other creations. The perception of that beauty depends on the understanding of chemical structures and their transformations, and, as with a treasured work of art, deepens as the subject is studied, perhaps even to a level approaching romance.
Nearly every one of the genes that turns out to be a key player in cancer has a vital role in the normal physiology of an organism. The genes that enable our brains and blood cells to develop are implicated in cancer.
There is enough information capacity in a single human cell to store the Encyclopedia Britannica, all 30 volumes of it, three or four times over.
If such a thing had happened once, it must surely have happened many times in this galaxy of a hundred billion suns.
Mathematics brought rigor to Economics. Unfortunately, it also brought mortis.
I have a reverence for medicine because I hero-worshiped my father [a former doctor], and because I admire doctors, I admire study, empiricism and rational thought. I don't study, empiricize or think rationally myself - but I admire it in others.
His epitaph: Who, by vigor of mind almost divine, the motions and figures of the planets, the paths of comets, and the tides of the seas first demonstrated.
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