Chapter 2326: Chapter 2328: Science and Metaphysics
Upon hearing Feng Jun’s response, the experts present were momentarily dumbfounded.
One of the experts, with a rather irritable personality, couldn’t hold back, "A liberal arts monk... isn’t this just nonsense?"
Beauty Lin signaled someone who quickly came over to half-forcibly take the expert away, and then she smiled apologetically at Feng Jun, "Sorry, these academics tend to be very direct, they like to speak on matters directly, and it’s not a personal opinion against you."
"Of course, I wouldn’t mind," Feng Jun replied indifferently, "I’m all for simplicity in life, and I also hope those in academia focus on their research instead of becoming social activists."
With this statement, another expert couldn’t help but speak up, "Then let me boldly ask, how did Mr. Feng, being a liberal arts monk, get invited to assess the reliability of these plans?"
"I don’t want to do this either," Feng Jun spread his hands in resignation, "It was Director Lin who called me over, insisted I offer my opinion—it’s purely like forcing a duck onto a perch."
Seeing him shift the blame onto herself, Beauty Lin could only answer bravely, "Mr. Feng is proficient in the Yi numbers and Liu Yao, with strong predictive abilities, we all have confidence in him. It took considerable effort to invite him this time."
"Yi numbers? Liu Yao?" The expert’s facial muscles twitched uncontrollably, his eyes clearly saying six big words: Are you freaking kidding me?
"Metaphysics?" Another expert furrowed his brows, even within academia, attitudes towards the mystical vary; some staunchly disbelieve, others are on the fence, and some are fervent believers.
Otherwise, why would there be a saying, "The end of science is metaphysics?"
He glanced around, suddenly spotting the words "Cancer Care Center" in the distance, and his eyes lit up sharply, "Is this the place where mysticism is used to treat cancer at a high price?"
They are very important experts, among whom many have acquaintances healed of cancer by mysticism, even those refusing to accept metaphysics can’t deny such effectiveness without shaking their heads silently.
Beauty Lin almost couldn’t help but reveal that the stone was provided by Feng Jun, but seeing the situation turn, she chose to remain silent.
"High price... is not the goal," Feng Jun explained helplessly, "the main issue is our limited capacity, having to set a price barrier, prioritizing admissions recommended by Director Lin and others."
"I understand this point," the expert nodded excitedly, "Moreover, all expenses are covered by Guojia, I have two senior brothers and one senior uncle, all sentenced to death, yet saved by you, just for this, your merit is immeasurable!"
Senior brothers and senior uncle... Feng Jun glanced at him: So he’s from a prestigious school too, huh.
Yet, given such politeness, Feng Jun surely had to be modest.
"Merit, I don’t dare say, just doing our best. As for foreigners’ fees, we use the same amount in Mai currency for calculations, but we prioritize treating Huaxia compatriots; foreign cases are largely political tasks for us."
"Mai currency calculation..." The expert’s face showed a peculiar smile, clearly, he knew something.
Feng Jun had no interest in this topic; after returning a peculiar smile, he replied sternly, "These explosive equivalents are deduced by me; you can choose to believe or not, but the deduction process is impossible for me to explain."
"I choose to believe," the expert from a prestigious background promptly responded, "I won’t deny a field just because I don’t understand it, especially with accomplishments already achieved... reproducible accomplishments."
His words basically summarized today’s events, even if the expert who was advised to leave wasn’t convinced, yet the illustrious reputation of the Cancer Care Center wasn’t fabricated; no one would dare to seriously offend someone who could potentially save their life.
Following this, a leak occurred at a research institute in Huaxia, initiated by a worker who had long been ensnared by the Central Intelligence Agency. His lab was responsible for verifying new energy theories, recently tasked with a battery efficacy test evaluation.
The materials submitted were unclear, the battery principles and operation mechanisms were unclear, the purpose of the test submissions was to obtain an authoritative test report to vie for more funding to develop the project.
Simply put, it’s an original battery model, according to the submitter, successful creation had a large element of chance; they haven’t developed a second similar battery — which is precisely why they’re desperate for funds.
The institute’s people weren’t highly interested in this project; upon seeing the energy efficiency data, they considered it fantasy — probably concocted by an amateur scientist? However, on behalf of the testing fees, they still conducted tests.
The test results caused an immediate uproar throughout the institute; the institute even temporarily withheld the well-sealed battery, demanding the submitter to provide the battery’s operational mechanisms and principles — not too detailed, but at least a broad description.
The institute stated: We aren’t trying to make things difficult, but we must be accountable for the test results. These data almost seem like a micro Wood-Hai battery to us. How can we endorse this without being convinced ourselves?
Yet the submitters refused to appear, with a provincial council member assisting with sending for test; he wouldn’t explicitly state who he’s helping, merely indicating that if certification was unwanted, he’ll find other places, returning the items to them.
The institute, however, insisted, stating you must clarify things, refusing to stand by as they potentially deceive others.
This reasoning was less convincing, crucially because the institute discovered truly perplexing marvels within the battery — and they were substantial.
Both sides argued for several days until authoritative experts from the capital were invited to witness; upon opening the safe, they found: the battery was missing!
This incident caused chaos, leading to uncovering numerous spies, yet the battery remained missing.
Ten days later, near the Strait of Malacca, a research vessel from Mai Nation experienced a violent explosion, yet the vessel didn’t issue a distress signal. Two days later, a military ship from Mai Nation arrived, but the research vessel had already sunk.
The exploded research vessel shocked the world; Mai Nation directly accused a terrorist organization’s attack, while Mai Nation possessed inconvenient to disclose evidence indicating the vessel’s whereabouts were leaked by Huaxia.
Huaxia, however, consistently claimed innocence: We didn’t do it, don’t talk nonsense!
Britain had a paper stirring trouble, suggesting that after Mai Nation’s research vessel explosion, clear electromagnetic interference anomalies existed, leading to failure to call for help; such an attack capability supposedly wasn’t within a terrorist organization’s reach.
Amid the messy international situation, Feng Jun welcomed a new visitor — the scholar who previously acknowledged metaphysics.
This scholar researches basic materials; last time invited him was under a "special expert" status, this time he approached Feng Jun for his own business — a basic materials research project he leads hit a bottleneck.
This project has been ongoing for six years, with massive manpower and resources poured in, spawning several patents, yet peculiarly, the main focus yielded little progression.
The scholar and the whole project team are under tremendous pressure, with potential project team disbandment looming if breakthroughs aren’t achieved; though fundamental research burns funds, it shouldn’t persist without limits.
He had almost given up, but hearing of the Mai Nation’s research vessel incident reignited a sliver of hope.
He was keenly aware of the nature of that research vessel, apart from gathering intelligence, it conducts various high-end experiments and analyses, with some experiments unable to be openly declared to international society.
Thus, he had reasons to believe that the vessel was likely destroyed by that "battery"—despite being invited as a special expert to participate in Feng Jun’s scheme’s secondary evaluation and signing a confidentiality agreement, he wasn’t informed of subsequent developments.
Nonetheless, given his position in the industry, complete ignorance was improbable, at the very least he could surmise that the bizarre "amateur scientist battery" likely pertained to the project he initially evaluated.
The remaining processes were purely speculative, and indeed, he had no choice but to imagine.
Yet he was confident of nearing the truth — in fact, the explosive equivalent wasn’t notably large, it’s rather the Mai Nation who insisted on tampering onboard, leading to the vessel’s destruction; had it been on land, the damage would have been less.
Regardless, that’s all past, largely unrelated to him — unless he obsesses, but now he aims to: considering an Yi numbers master is present, he thinks his project might still be salvageable.
It’s really a last resort, being driven to this point, hence the saying, "The end of science is metaphysics."
You want me to deduce material components and synthesis processes? Feng Jun could hardly believe his ears.
Is this... another addition to my peculiar attributes?
After pondering for a while, he remarked, "But... I’m a liberal arts monk."
This scholar could only smile bitterly, "I’ve begun to believe in metaphysics, don’t you think I care you’re a liberal arts monk?"
I don’t quite like your tone; am I merely your last resort? Feng Jun lightly coughed, "Metaphysics is just your final choice? Sorry, I don’t see the sincerity in your request."
"If alternatives were available, why would I choose metaphysics?" The scholar frankly admitted, "I’d rather believe in science, but when research reaches dead ends, luck is required..."
"Many inventions and discoveries emerge through unguarded moments of inspiration, is there a rationale for this phenomenon?"
"The end of science is metaphysics, suggests that science has reached its limits... with no option left, metaphysics surfaces as the sole choice."
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