19th October 2006, 03:27 PM
Archaeology is not essential to exist.
But then neither are music, literature, the visual arts, film and theatre, beer, cake and football. All however are essential to live. To want to know what is around the next corner is one of the things that makes us human, thus we must explore this world and others, including our own past, or put another way, ourselves. Knowledge is essential to the human spirit, even if only for its own sake.
There are indeed more pragmatic answers including those that have been put forward here. But I like the flowery one.
We owe the dead nothing but the truth.
But then neither are music, literature, the visual arts, film and theatre, beer, cake and football. All however are essential to live. To want to know what is around the next corner is one of the things that makes us human, thus we must explore this world and others, including our own past, or put another way, ourselves. Knowledge is essential to the human spirit, even if only for its own sake.
There are indeed more pragmatic answers including those that have been put forward here. But I like the flowery one.
We owe the dead nothing but the truth.