I take it you're not a believer, Meroka?" "Are you?" "I don't believe." He paused theatrically. "In anything. I question. I doubt. I doubt and I doub… - Alastair Reynolds

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I take it you're not a believer, Meroka?" "Are you?" "I don't believe." He paused theatrically. "In anything. I question. I doubt. I doubt and I doubt consistently and systematically. It's called thinking scientifically." "I hope you understand what the fuck that means," Meroka said, because I sure don't." "I wouldn't expect you to, my dear. The world isn't exactly conducive to scientific thinking. Not in its present condition. But it's changing, and so must we. Those of us who can, anyway.