For the greatest benefit to mankind?

In establishing his prizes, Alfred Nobel wanted to reward science that brought, in the words of his will, “the greatest benefit to mankind.” In justifying the billions spent on research, scientists argue that they are also benefiting people—either directly by developing, say, new vaccines or indirectly by advancing our knowledge of the universe and its contents.

Given those high goals, what are we to make of the science practiced by Algordanza AG ? The company, which is based in Domat/Ems, Switzerland, produces “qualitative high-grade certified diamonds out of the ashes of your beloved deceased in memory to their unique and wonderful life.”

The conversion process entails heating the chemically purified ash to 2500 °C and subjecting it to a pressure of 6 gigapascals. Depending on how much boron the deceased had ingested, the resulting gem may be clear and colorless or clear and blue.

I learned about Algordanza from a story in today’s issue of the Straits Times, Singapore’s venerable English-language newspaper. (I’m visiting Singapore this week to tour facilities funded by the country’s Agency for Science, Technology and Research, A*STAR.) Reporter Ang Yiying centered her story on Madam Chin Siat Ngo, who paid Algordanza’s partner in Singapore SG$9399 (about US$7250) to make a diamond from the ashes of her late sister Mee Ngo. The two sisters had lived together for 62 years until February, when Mee Ngo succumbed to a fatal stroke.

Madam Chin had the 0.41-carat blue diamond set in the center of a cross-shaped pendant. She’s evidently pleased and proud of her memorial jewel. In her case, science brought her the benefit not of a cure or knowledge, but of comfort.

I don’t know whether Nobel had comfort or happiness in mind when he wrote his will. He might have, if he’d read John Locke’s An Essay Concerning Human Understanding . In words that would be echoed 86 years later by Thomas Jefferson, Locke asserted: “The highest perfection of intellectual nature lies in a careful and constant pursuit of true and solid happiness.”