But for me the mystery of existence has proven profound enough to keep my pride in check. I take counsel from Santayana's description of Hegel: "He described what he knew best or had heard most, and felt he had described the universe." The same tendency surfaces often among many of our learned public intellectuals, especially in the sciences. I hope to avoid their condition. On rising each day --- this is strange, and probably foolish to admit, but quite true I assure you --- I ask myself as I stand before the mirror: "How did we get here? How did all this come to be?" After many years of starting my day with those questions, and much investigation, I can safely say that I'm no closer to the answers than I was when I first started asking them.
And beckett as well is in rare form! This company might even give me that added dash of humility some would say I sorely need!