The Giver answers by casting an unusual glance at Jonas and harshly telling him, "They know nothing" (Lowry, 105). He recognizes that while they comprehend how some things work, they lack the insight and knowledge of the past that is required to make philosophical conclusions.
The Giver tells Jonas that, despite their scientific expertise, his professors know nothing since their knowledge is useless without the memories the Giver has. Jonas observes that the Giver's memories bring him pain and asks why. The Giver described the visual phenomenon that Jonas observed as Jonas detecting color before everything became the same. It was revealed that Jonas, like the Giver, was different from others in the society in that they can see beyond one generation owing to the transfer of memories.