Ben Franklin in His Own Words

I think it might be more difficult than is supposed in King Wiemann’s letter (Physics Today, Physics Today 0031-9228 57 5 2004 18  https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1768662 May 2004, page 18 ) and Neal Lane’s article (October 2003, page 41) to decide how a historical figure like Benjamin Franklin might act if present today. One cannot say what the distinguished dead would have said. Even what they have said does not always form a consistent whole, nor is it necessarily all wise or even admirable.