Pesky Liberals - An old lesson for a modern age

Just going on further through the Gribbin and reading about John Wilkins at Gray's Inn and his views. Gribbin comments:
"Wilkins was a gregarious and friendly man who often inspired respect and encouraged people from widely differing backgrounds to come together and discuss scientific ideas and, crucially, to carry out their own scientific experiments. His tolerance was unusual, but by no means unique, in an age which, as we have already seen, was torn by religious disagreements over ideology. As a liberal, he was criticized for, amongst other things, such dnagerous ideas as reconciliation with the Dissenters, and it is significant that the Royal Society itself, when it was set up, specifically encouraged men from all parts of the Christian Church to be among its Fellows." (page132)

Whilst Stephenson is clearly not writing a political tract, the Baroque Cycle, or at least the science narrative, demonstrates a clear working towards this seventeenth century ideal of science/quest for knowledge, bringing together different backgrounds.