University of Arkansas Commencement Address, 1978

COMMENCEMENT SCRIPT, 8 THE DESPERATE CALL TO PREVENT STARVATION ON MUCH OF THE GLOBE AND TO AVERT THE HORROR OF NUCLEAR WAR." THIS SKETCHY LIST OF CHALLENGES EMPHASIZES THE FACT THAT THIS UNIVERSITY HAS NOT PROVIDED YOU WITH SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEMS THAT YOU WILL ENCOUNTER IN THE YEARS AHEAD. INDEED, IT COULD NOT BECAUSE THE SOLUTIONS ARE BEYOND THE LIMITS OF OUR KNOWLEDGE. AND IT IS PRECISELY BECAUSE WE CANNOT KNOW THE FUTURE OR FULLY COMPREHEND SOLUTIONS TO EMERGING PROBLEMS THAT WE PLACE SO MUCH EMPHASIS UPON THE SOVEREIGNTY OF REASON, THE ABILITY TO THINK IN AN ORDERLY, RATIONAL MANNER. THIS IS THE BEST THAT ANY UNIVERSITY CAN GIVE. SO TODAY, YOU WILL RECEIVE A DIPLOMA AS A TRIBUTE TO YOUR ABILITY TO THINK, TO REASON AND TO LEARN. EVEN SO, I ASK YOU TO REMEMBER THAT THE MEASURE OF LEARNING IS AT BEST AN IMPERFECT PROCESS. WE HAVE NO REAL MEASURE OF THAT IMPORTANT PART OF OUR EDUCATION WHICH DEALS WITH THOSE GREAT IMPONDERABLE VALUES OF HUMAN LIFE - RIGHT AND WRONG, TRUTH AND DECEIT, BEAUTY AND DESPOILMENT. YET, THIS UNIVERSITY HAS TRIED TO GENERATE IN YOU A COMMITMENT TO THINK AND TO THINK HONESTLY AND CONSTRUCTIVELY ON THESE IMPORTANT CONCEPTS. YOU WERE EXPOSED TO THE MYSTERIES OF NATURE IN THE HOPE THAT YOU WOULD RESTORE AND PROTECT THE BEAUTY OF OUR EARTH. YOU WERE REQUIRED TO READ GREAT BOOKS IN THE HOPE THAT YOU WOULD LEARN TO LOVE THEM AND WOULD CONTINUE THE SEARCH FOR TRUTH. YOUR STUDIES EMPHASIZED THE HUMANITIES AND THE SCIENCES IN THE HOPE THAT YOU WOULD HELP US AS A PEOPLE TO INCREASE BOTH OUR CIVILITY AND OUR RATIONALITY. THIS INSTITUTION SOUGHT TO INSTILL IN YOU ATTITUDES THAT ARE CONSTRUCTIVE IN THE HOPE THAT YOU WILL DO THE POSSIBLE AND CHALLENGE ANY IMPORTANT GOA