Well, we use that great euphemism, "trial and error,"
which is exposed to be meaningless.
But you ask the Indians, and they say, "The plants talk to us."
Well, what does that mean?
This tribe, the Cofan, has 17 varieties of ayahuasca,
all of which they distinguish a great distance in the forest,
all of which are referable to our eye as one species.
And then you ask them how they establish their taxonomy
and they say, "I thought you knew something about plants.
I mean, don't you know anything?" And I said, "No."
Well, it turns out you take each of the 17 varieties
in the night of a full moon, and it sings to you in a different key.
Now, that's not going to get you a Ph.D. at Harvard,
but it's a lot more interesting than counting stamens. (Laughter)
Now --
(Applause) --
the problem -- the problem is that even those of us
sympathetic with the plight of indigenous people
view them as quaint and colorful
but somehow reduced to the margins of history
as the real world, meaning our world, moves on.