InsayingthattheworldisatacrossroadscreatedbyscienceandtechnologyIknowIamnotthefirst.Butmankindcannotaffordtohesitateinindecision.Thereisonlyonechoiceforus.Wemustbegintomovealongtheroadtoabetterfutureforallthepeoplesoftheworldandwemustdothisnow.
Bytheendofthe20thcentury,thepopulationoftheworldmighthavebeendoubled.Inattemptingtoensurefood,clothingandadignifiedstandardoflifeforthisenormoushostofpeoplewemustuseeveryweaponthatscienceandtechnologycangiveus.Thereareobviousdifficultiesforthelessdevelopedareasindoingthis—forexample,lackofcapital,differencesinsocialstructureandinadequateknowledge.
Ourstrategytoovercomethesedifficultiesmustbetotal.Wehavetolookatworldproblemsasawhole,thatis,trytobetterourunderstandingofthecomplexinteractionsbetweenthemultitudeofdevelopmentactivities.Wealreadyknowthegreatgiftsthatscienceandtechnologycanbestowonallnations.Ifwearemadewiserbyaconstantappreciationofthecomplexitiesofwhatweareattempting,thefasterweshallmovetowardsasolutionofthereallyimperativeproblemsthatconfrontuseverywhere.