The Major Arcana is a group of cards in the Tarot deck. They represent twenty-two archetypical situations, figures and roles people come across during their life journey, which should end in the enlightenment of the soul. At the beginning of that journey, there is the Fool, at the end – the World, while life is a journey from foolishness to understanding. Or at least esotericists and mystics say so.
It occurred to me while I was reading twenty-two interviews with the most brilliant minds of the contemporary world – physicists, mathematicians, philosophers, biologists, cosmologists, futurists, quantum cryptologists, geneticists, and bioinformaticians, whose hypotheses, theories and visions have left their mark on the world. These include Nobel Prize winners (James D. Watson, Frank Wilczek, Anthony Leggett and David Wineland), as well as intellectual rebels (David Krakauer, Geoffrey West and Julian Barbour), while all the interviews – conducted by Karol Jałochowski, a journalist and promoter of science affiliated with Polityka Weekly – touch upon fascinating topics, such as the exploration of faraway space, the history of the universe, the genesis of life and its sense, the evolution of intelligence, quantum computers, religion and superstitions or the new ethics for people and machines.
Twenty-two terrific interviews – just like twenty-two Tarot cards! – which can help the reader free from foolishness and comprehend the world. Take that chance. I already did.
Karol Jałochowski, ‘Heretycy. Buntownicy. Wizjonerzy. 22 podróże z największymi umysłami naszych czasów”, published by Copernicus Center Press, Cracow 2019
