Comments on the Occasion of the 100th Anniversary of the Birth of Michael Polanyi

The National Socialists (the Nazi’s) in Germany, and the Marxists in the Soviet Union -each of whom engulfed this country in horror -held to the view that what was not part of science could not sensibly be regarded as existing. It followed that morality did not exist, except as a remnant of outdated superstitions. Truth, justice, and tolerance had been, they believed, shown to be mere impediments to scientific progress.