Charlie Thorne And The Last Equation

One of the most significant themes of the novel examines The Ethical Implications of Scientific Advancement. Through the characters, plot, and ideas presented, the novel asks a question: If scientists understand that humanity’s first instinct is to weaponize any new technology or advancement rather than use it to help the world, what is science’s moral obligation in formulating new ideas and technologies in the first place? The novel asks the question but does not explicitly answer it, instead expecting the characters, and by extension the readers, to wrestle with their own responses. In creating his Pandora equation, Einstein wrestles with this question, ultimately deciding that his work is too dangerous and cannot be entrusted to people, which is why he hides it and finally asks Ernst Klein to destroy it upon his death.

Einstein fears that just like Pandora in the Greek myth, his equation will unleash evils upon the world. However, he is also clearly driven by the pure drive to discover new science outside of ethical concerns and retains some hope for the future, which is why he cannot bring himself to destroy Pandora. Charlie, with similar fears, imagines herself as Prometheus, protecting Pandora from the grasping hands of powerful governments and other malicious entities like the Furies and John Russo. For both Charlie and Einstein, there appears to be a conflict between the drive of pure intellect and the importance of human morality. However, they both also hope to find a balance between the two, believing that someone intelligent enough to find Pandora might likewise possess the morality to use Pandora for the benefit of the world rather than its destruction.

Unfortunately, many characters within the narrative prove this hope to be unfounded. At every turn, Einstein’s fears prove accurate. Every party attempting to find Pandora has violent aims in mind, even if they protest otherwise. Both the Furies and John Russo, who want to use Pandora to terrorize and inflict their wills on the world, explicitly state their intent. Yet even the Mossad and the CIA would likely only use Pandora for destructive purposes, no matter what Dante believes about their motivations. Charlie demonstrates this when she says: “Whenever a civilization has gained a military advantage, their first instinct has never been to share it. Instead, they’ve used it to try to wipe out everyone else” (276).

Einstein knew this when he died, recalling his own grave mistake in urging for the creation of the atomic bomb. Charlie knows it as well, which is why she tries to keep Pandora out of the CIA’s hands. Yet the novel also offers the possibility of hope in the younger generation, specifically Charlie herself, who is brilliant enough to use Pandora for her own gain but does not appear even to have considered the option. She only wishes to prevent its ill use, proving herself a worthy protector.