Chapter 5 Chapter Five: The Unique Interpretation of Professor Errest Keppel

Professor Errest Keppel, a close friend of Dr. Hedman Steining, is also a bachelor, a eccentric with rich imagination and eloquence.He is nominally a professor of philosophy, but he is increasingly fascinated by the study of psychotherapy.He has been accused of psychologizing philosophy into a descriptive science.He argues a lot and always ends up getting himself into trouble. He was dark-skinned, with scars on his face and broken legs.It was blown up by a landmine hidden in a German trench during the September 1998 attack.The deep red scar ran from the middle of his forehead across the left brow bone, and the deep eye socket under the brow bone was like an unfathomable cave.Not only that, the bomb also made his forearm joints stiff, and his hip bones were injured and became broken.Before that he must have been a dynamic, charismatic man.However, the disability contributed to the vitriol in his character.He understood his faults and tried to restrain himself as much as possible.But thinking about it still doesn't make me tender.He was always hypersensitive to his scars whenever he met strangers; his incurable delusion that he was hated by others made him gruff and inhuman, especially when he was with women.Perhaps he exaggerated too much the pleasures of normal human association, thinking that he could not enjoy such pleasures.He has a successful career and a wealthy life, and has a high reputation for his research and thinking ability and perseverance.

The doctor found his friend unusually excited.He has a habit of bringing fresh perspectives to him, just to show off to his brilliant brain.In fact, he never thought about a new idea himself before bringing it to Professor Keppel.At this time, taking the opportunity of having lunch with Kepar, he talked about the Martians.They often meet for lunch by phone, because Professor Keppel lives much closer than the club. "I was talking to a madman yesterday," said the doctor, "and he made a most startling observation." During the meal he set out Mr. Davis' discoveries with a mixture of admiration and disbelief.

"This is complete nonsense," he concluded. "Yes," Professor Keppel agreed, "but..." "It's true! But..." "But..." Kepar repeated.He waved his stiff, disabled hand as the waitress stood at his elbow with a tray. There was a light in his deep-set eyes, and the expression on his face was meaningful. Dr. Herdman Stedding waited. "The interesting thing," said Professor Keppel, "is that, as you say, we really don't know anything about how humans might be changing at the moment. Not at all. Demography cannot be an accurate science." Science - not even a science. Our social statistics are a mess. First, we don't know what to measure, and second, we don't know how to measure them. It's very possible that new humans are emerging on Earth, or were, The number of rare races is increasing. There are more and more geniuses - more and more people with special abilities. It's strange that you didn't scoff when that madman came to you and planted this idea in your brain Or overheard; you start to have a vague sense of something—but can’t say it.”

"That's right." "And when you brought it back to me, trying this dressing, the recipe I got from Madinaz at the Spanish restaurant on Swallow Street, I started to feel the same way." "One imagines being caught by it. It is as attractive to a kitten as a hare's foot is to a kitten. If, Keppel, this is just talk—there are Martians." "It can be assumed that way, and I am very willing." "So, what would their minds be like? What would they think of our minds? And, what would they do with our minds?" "Like doing a general psychology exercise? It's fascinating."

"Then treat it as a theoretical practice." "Exactly. You know a man named Olaf Staberleiden has tried something like this in a book called The Last and First Man. Someday we will have a The psychology of types, like those young men in the Society for Experimental Biology these days, moves from the taxonomy of human physiology to the science of physiology in general. As any astronomer will tell you, as far away as Mars, if not completely The necessary conditions for the survival of life are the same, but there are also some elements suitable for the survival of life, such as air, water, and temperature with a small temperature difference. It is very likely that life evolution is going on there at the same time. But even so, there are some differences. Geocentric energy, Atmospheric pressure, and stuff like that, means differences in light, power, size. Plants and animals on Mars could be much larger."

"I forgot the mass ratio of the two planets." "I don't remember exactly either. It's like eight to one—maybe more. So, if the Martians had an Earth-like appearance, they'd be twice as tall and eight times heavier than us. A giant, long-lived Longer guy. If "No, that's not a random assumption.It is very likely that there are creatures and animals on that planet.That's a wild guess, Hedman Stein, I admit, but not too much. " "Go on. You wouldn't have the guts to say that to your students." "Maybe. What if there was a separate planet somewhere under slightly different but basically the same conditions, where life evolved compared to Earth?"

"I think it's equally brilliant." "It's hard to imagine otherwise. There would be plants - green I think - and animals, very personal and feeling, kind of like us - maybe very like us. The colors they see could be More than us, with a longer or shorter vocal range than ours, more sensitive hands. Maybe nature embodies all the senses there. But not all shapes. In short, they respond to all stimuli , and adapt to them. I believe that if we were to visit the soul of dear old Pavlov, we would find that he agrees with us that it is most likely that their brains are basically the same as ours."

"But the history is longer." "Yes, Mars was cold long before Earth was cold. It has a longer history, hotter summers, colder winters - one year on Mars is equivalent to two years on Earth. Bigger body, bigger brain, More memory space - Martians must have much better memories than us, and more and more sensitive thoughts. This is the problem. If Earth people have older ancestors, richer memories, and more comfortable lives, What kind of mind would he have?" "That's really the crux of the matter. Today, all the Martians described by pseudoscience writers are monsters, horrible, inhuman, cruel monsters. Why does it have to be?" Professor Keppel took a sip of his coffee, " Why should they be like this?"

"Should it be a cute monster?" "Why not?" "Yeah, the German professor changed his mind about camels based on his inner feelings; why shouldn't we change our minds about Martians too?" "Respect the facts. Why not?" Dr. Herdman Steading looked at his watch. "Finish this triangular long cigar you like before you go," Keppel said, "and a brandy. Damn it! It's you who brought up the subject, I can't get enough of it, you have to listen to me. If there is Martian, don't worry, he is the big brother of mankind." "You think they're bigger than us in every way, superhuman."

"It's a good thing anyway." "Then they're better and worse than us, aren't they?" "Every life must have its good and its bad. But being better and worse than us is the worst, and there is nothing worse; if you talk to that madman of yours again, you can at least remove his fear of Mars. Human fear. It is likely that they are not invading us as interstellar protectors. God forbid! I am infected with the emotion of being treated kindly." "No," said Dr. Hedman Steining, puffing out smoke, with the satisfied expression on his face from the cigar advertisement picture, "that's your cook."

"She is indeed a very good cook." Professor Keppel admitted. "However, with regard to the Martians, we imagine them a little too much. Let's put them aside for a moment. Another point your patient makes applies to separate therapy. A very practical one. It's hard to say whether there are those who look down Wise and mature observers of the fate of man, those great enemies, friends of the night sky; but it is that idea that is possible, and so far as we are capable. Modern man, due to the increased possibilities and Changes, or due to other unknown reasons, are beginning to mutate in the direction directed by intelligent creatures." "The so-called highly intelligent beings," said Dr. Herdman Stein, "that's hypothetical." "You're precise," said Professor Keppel, "but anyway, that's what we want to know. Is there such a biological movement? If so, is there a way to track it down? The underlying truth between the two of us." It feels like, if there is no such thing, we self-important stupid humans..." "Poor modern man!" muttered the doctor in a low voice. "It's almost the end of the ropes. You don't have to disagree. Is there any sensible and educated person these days who doesn't feel like they're in a shipwreck? We all hope for a breakthrough in improving our way of life. Hope and fantasy often intertwine Up, regardless of each other, maybe—that’s what we want. But how do we test whether this idea is right or wrong? How do we start this investigation?" "And without making everyone think we're crazy?" "exactly." "Nietzsche?" said the doctor abruptly. "Are we talking about his Superman?" "In my opinion, he has too many oriental gadgets," Keppel said. "According to my analysis, his superman has at least two meanings. On the one hand, he is a superman in the biological sense, and on the other hand, he is like Huo A composite like Booth's Leviathan. You have no way of knowing what to do with him. Forget about Nietzsche. Let's just think about it. Bah, is there an increase in this kind of -- how do I call them -- higher intelligence types. " The doctor drank the last bit of brandy very reluctantly and cautiously. "I thought, Kepar, there might be a way to carry out this investigation." "We also have to think about our reputation." "It's a matter of reputation, but the fellow - and it's rude of me to say that - is Mr. Joseph Davies, who wrote quite a few bestsellers, and the gaudy - may I say that? - almost too brilliant History books - probably could do something about it. His writing, his connection to the most romantic aspects of human history, his conviction of human faith, hope, and glory, put him, I think, in a position to ask questions superior." "Joseph Davies," said Professor Keppel thoughtfully, "is the man who wrote 'From Ajincourt to Trafalgar', it is he! It is from him that you hear this about Mars. Human thinking?" "I told him to stop thinking about it." "He won't." "Yes. He's willing to think about it, and to keep thinking about it. He's already lost his mind for some reason. I can't tell if he's mad or sane. But if I give him the slightest hint, he'll be like Follow the Martians like a dog on a rabbit."