...be overcome.45 Later Benjamin Franklin, reflecting a similar Enlightenment faith in medicine, wrote, "It is impossible to imagine the height to which may...in a thousand years, the power of man over matter. . . . All diseases may be prevented or cured, not excepting even that of old age, and our lives lengthened...

...thousand years, as man demonstrates his power over matter. We may, perhaps, learn to deprive larger masses of their gravity and give them absolute levity for the sake of easy transport. Agriculture may halve its labor and double its produce, all diseases may, by sure means, be prevented or cured- not...

...researches into nature. The rapid progress true science now makes occasions my regretting sometimes that I was born so soon. It is impossible to imagine the heights to which the power of man may be carried over matter in a thousand years. We may perhaps learn...

...makes." In what reads like a secular millennial vision, he imagined a world transformed by science: It is impossible to imagine the Height to which may...sake of easy Transport. Agriculture may diminish its Labor and double its Produce; all Diseases may by sure means be prevented or cured, not excepting even...

...human condition, and the famous American inventor and statesman, Benjamin Franklin, wrote in 1780 that "It is impossible to imagine the height to which may...in a thousand years, the power of man over matter .... All diseases may be prevented or cured, not excepting even that of old age, and our lives lengthened...