Once upon a time, there was a great scientist who had never seen the world. He was a formidable expert on everything under the sun, for he never took his eyes off his books or his research. In his studies, he often encountered considerable obstacles, but he always overcame them through perseverance—either in the library or deep in thought and calculation. But then came a riddle that the scientist could not solve, no matter how hard he tried. Worn down by hopelessness and hardship, he finally gave in to the persuasion of his friends and acquaintances and set off on a long journey—to distract both himself and his mind. Far, far away from his laboratory, library, and university, he decided to cross a vast lake. Finding a boatman, he settled into the boat for the crossing. Being a quiet man by nature, he sat in silence for a long time, watching the reflections of the summer sun ripple across the waves. But eventually, boredom overcame his patience. He began speaking about the lands they were passing through: the origin of the mountains, seismic activity, climatic zones, the history of the country, and the settlements surrounding the lake. Then, having listened to his own voice long enough, he started questioning the boatman—about the local flora and fauna, the chemical composition of the lake water, his family, and even his family tree. The boatman, a friendly soul, tried to answer every question, but could not provide a single satisfying or proper response. He was, after all, a simple man—uneducated, one of the people. The scientist persisted with his stream of questions. At first, he was bewildered by the boatman’s ignorance. Then he became indignant. And finally, he grew to despise him. — How is this even possible? Do you, in hell, know nothing at all? The boatman said nothing. He only looked the scientist in the eyes. They sat in silence as the boat slowly made its way toward the shore. But just as they neared it, a violent storm struck—so fierce that it raised not just waves but walls of water. Seeing the vessel was doomed, the boatman said: