"You should study logic, Dr. Bruber. You're trying to make me say things that are not logical."
"Okay, let's forget logic and look at what Earth is likely to do if it follows its 'natural' trend. You say it will destroy itself."
"If someone else doesn't do it first," said Olbu. "It will continue to have wars till it exhausts all opportunities for it on the planet. Then it will war in the skies, with other planets, with other stars, finally with other galaxies. Man has a thirst for power, and that thirst is never satisfied. On the other hand, knowledge leads to contentment. If the Earth should seek knowledge, it would forget war."
"Perhaps war is necessary for survival," suggested Dr. Bruber.
"War is seldom fought for survival. It is a result of a struggle for supremacy. And, might I ask, supremacy of what? After you've conquered all the galaxies, what do you have?"
"Olbu seems to have a point there," said Burroughs. "It is now time for a brief message from our sponsor."
The message had nothing to do with war, or knowledge.
"Now, Olbu," began Burroughs, "we were talking about wars, knowledge, power and survival. Do you have anything else to add?"
"Only that Earth has brought this on itself," said Olbu.
"I don't quite understand—" Cecil Burroughs wrinkled his massive brow.