Porretto quotes, ““Evil is essentially stupid,” Robert A. Heinlein tells us in his novella Gulf.”
What this quote does is anthropomorphize “evil.” What makes more sense is, “Stupid is essentially evil.” Stupid is a universal human condition that permeates all our actions. There is no science without the ability to prove a statement false. As well, there is no human progress without the ability to keep the baby and throw out the bathwater. People must be able to reconsider their actions in light of their consequences quite regularly to determine if they are useful, moral, pleasant, etc. and to change them if necessary. Any rigidity makes change less likely. It is the illusion that we can predict the future that is one of humanity’s great stupidities. There are a series of steps that each person and each society must make before jumping into any pool. Look to make sure there is water in the pool, put your toe in to make sure you can tolerate the water temperature and jump in first before you expose your children to it.
