There is no hatred like self-hatred

Charles discovers - and one suspects approves of - wooly-headed philosphy

“In some remote corner of the universe, poured out and glittering in innumerable solar systems, there once was a star on which clever animals invented knowledge. That was the haughtiest and most mendacious minute of ‘world history’—yet only a minute. After nature had drawn a few breaths the star grew cold, and the clever animals had to die.”

The animals need only apply the knowledge and their species can outlive their sun.