Underestimating the evolutionary potential of living organisms is the single most important mistake made by those who use chemical means to subdue nature…. Such vehement antipathy toward any corner of the living world should have given us pause. Through our related mistakes in the world of higher animals, we should have gained the evolutionary wisdom to predict the outcome.
—Marc Lappé, PhD
One of the most important lessons from our ancient legends and myths is that the gods take a dim view of human arrogance.
Ancient versions of this message are to be found in the story of Arachne, a mortal weaver who boasted that she could weave better than Minerva, the goddess of wisdom and crafts. After losing the contest, she was turned into a spider for her presumption.
Another is the legend of Achilles, whose mother dipped him into water that made him invulnerable—except of course for the heel by which she held him. To this day an “Achilles’ heel” serves to remind us of the foolishness of thinking ourselves invulnerable.
An even more recent warning to us is Mary Shelley’s book Frankenstein. The message in her book is the same as that of the ancient legends and myths; in this instance, it specifically addresses the arrogance of medical science in thinking it can take upon itself the capacities of the gods.
In spite of all the accomplishments of our technological civilization, these ancient warnings are still relevant to our species. As Václav Havel once so eloquently put it, there are powers in the universe against which it is advisable not to blaspheme. Perhaps it is fitting that the lowly bacteria will be the ones to teach us humility.
Chymia egregia ancilla medicinae; non alia pejor domina.
(Chemistry makes an excellent handmaid but the worst possible mistress.)