But we don't need a single, universal world view. In the final discussion, a member of the audience commented that she was amazed at the level of modesty or resignation exhibited by the panelists. When a new world view comes up, it comes up. A shared cosmology has real power, but we've lived for so long without one that we've forgotten what it is like. The conclusion to question one is a clear yes.
Conversation is possible.
The answer to the second question, however, is still not clear. He pointed out that there is much to gain. Without such a dialogue, scientists will continue to find that their work has very little impact on the public, and humanists will continue to feel that their work is not quite real, he said.