Admiral Rickover Speaks About the Purpose of Life

Adm. Hyman G. Rickover, a vigorous critic of nuclear arms and the military-industrial complex, avoided both those subjects last night in a speech on "Thoughts on Man's Purpose in Life" at the Institute of Politics.

Before a crowd of 400, Rickover spoke of the value of responsibility, morality, creativity, courage, and intellectual development for creating a fulfilling and productive life.

The 83-year-old retired admiral did not field questions from the floor but instead had IOP staffers circulate through the crowd to receive written questions before his speech.

The audience sought Rickover's position on a nuclear freeze, which he supports, and the draft, which he also favors "If the President and Congress decide it is necessary."

But he also got questions such as, "What you do if you're in love?" and "How do you see the role of the poet in modern society?"

As far as living in love, Rickover said the best solution was to get engaged, "but held on for a while, became you'll get over it. "And Rickover said that poets "see the world with new and receptive eyes, finding things that haven't been found. But that's about it."

Rickover, who was forced into retirement last year by the Reagan Administration, earned a reputation as an iconoclast during his 62-year career in the Navy.

While instrumental in developing and implementing the Navy's fleet of over 40 nuclear submarines, he saw them as a "necessary evil" and advocated bilateral disarmament.

Even more irritating to Pentagon brass," Rickover often assailed the "lack of morality and responsibility among defense contractors," and said the Pentagon did little to combat it.

"They [Defense Department officials] won't protect the public interest," Rickover said in a CBS "60 Minutes" segment that was replayed on a large screen before his speech. "They come from private industry and they're going back there," he added.