Over my 22 years as a chemist in research at Dow Chemical and DuPont I worked with many scientists and engineers, and although scientists are some of the most interesting and open-minded people that I've ever met, they are prone to dismiss as fantasy any idea that cannot be put to an equation or test. They nurture the quality of objective detachment that is necessary for, and reinforced by, the discipline of science. But this can be problematic when extended to their thoughts and feelings about themselves and their relationships because life is a subjective experience that demands its own language – the language of literature, philosophy and religion.
