In the mid-’50s, soon after the work on polio was done, I put it then, “All of the problems of man would not be solved in the laboratory.”
Which was another way of saying that there is a human dimension to science. From what you’ve already heard, or what we’ve already talked about, you gather that I’ve had experiences that led me to that strong conviction. I also saw the need for fundamental studies in biology to help give us the basic background on which to understand about the problems of cancer, for example, or autoimmune disease.
Eventually I knew that the neurosciences were going to be terribly important. I also recognized that it would be necessary to address the human dimension as well, appreciating how much more morbidity and mortality is associated with war, with crime, drug abuse and so forth. And so, I thought that it would be well to consider establishing an institution that would be concerned not merely with nature, but with the human side of nature, not only with the molecular, cellular dimension, but what I call the human dimension. I thought if such individuals were to work together in the same context that we would begin to understand a great deal more, much more about these different realms by their commingling.