The search for objective knowledge strikes me as a form of heroism…. To subjugate yourself to the objective truth is a humbling experience." Rebecca Goldstein, on why a novelist should care about realism. An interview reported in Bly (2010) Rummaging through some files in my office, I came across a long-lost, handwritten letter to me from the renowned evolutionary biologist and ornithologist, Professor Ernst Mayr of Harvard University, a letter that I had despaired of ever finding again. He wrote it to me when he was in his late 90s (he lived to be 100, passing away in 2005), in response to a letter of my own. Explaining the genesis of this correspondence permits me to reflect on the theme of this special issue of the Israel Journal of Ecology & Evolution, which is trying to characterize elements of "good science". I will dwell on this topic with the concrete example of this truly fine scientist in front of my mind. The fundamental goal of science, intellectually, is to increase human understanding of the universe-conceived as broadly as possible-using methods that attempt to be objective and interpersonal, in that they are repeatable and public. This social goal is achieved by individual scientists who are motivated by curiosity about the world, or by the desire to address practical problems, naturally interlaced with the desire to craft a fulfilling and meaningful career. Like kicking a soccer ball, or painting a portrait, or laying down a carpet, one can do science poorly, or well. All these activities have in common that their value depends in large measure on their social context; part of the worth of any given scientific study comes from how it builds on, refracts, and amplifies prior understanding, and then provides a fruitful springboard for future study. And as