Quotes by Science If the world were to end tomorrow and we could choose to save only one thing as the explanation and memorial to who we were, then we couldn't do better than the Natural History Museum, although it wouldn't contain a single human. The systematic Linnean order, the vast inquisitiveness and range of collated knowledge and beauty would tell all that is the best of us. A. A. Gill ordermuseumsscience One of the advantages of being disorderly is that one is constantly making exciting discoveries. A. A. Milne cutelifescience If a man will comprehend the richness and variety of the universe, and inspire his mind with a due measure of wonder and awe, he must contemplate the human intellect not only on its heights of genius but in its abysses of ineptitude. A. E. Housman meninspirescience I first read science fiction in the old British Chum annual when I was about 12 years old. A. E. van Vogt sciencefictionyears The mighty edifice of Government science dominated the scene in the middle of the 20th century as a Gothic cathedral dominated a 13th century landscape. The work of many hands over many years, it universally inspired admiration, wonder and fear. A. Hunter Dupree governmenthard-workscience If nobody said anything unless he knew what he was talking about, a ghastly hush would descend upon the earth. A. P. Herbert learninglifescience I value science--none can prize it more, Abraham Coles religiousheartscience Coy Nature, (which remain'd, though aged grown, Abraham Cowley passionnaturescience Further, the same Arguments which explode the Notion of Luck, may, on the other side, be useful in some Cases to establish a due comparison between Chance and Design: We may imagine Chance and Design to be, as it were, in Competition with each other, for the production of some sorts of Events, and may calculate what Probability there is, that those Events should be rather be owing to the one than to the other. Abraham de Moivre competitiondesignscience Science, in the very act of solving problems, creates more of them. Abraham Flexner mathmotivationalscience At no period of [Michael Faraday's] unmatched career was he interested in utility. He was absorbed in disentangling the riddles of the universe, at first chemical riddles, in later periods, physical riddles. As far as he cared, the question of utility was never raised. Any suspicion of utility would have restricted his restless curiosity. In the end, utility resulted, but it was never a criterion to which his ceaseless experimentation could be subjected. Abraham Flexner careerscuriosityscience We must not overlook the role that extremists play. They are the gadflies that keep society from being too complacent or self-satisfied; they are, if sound, the spearhead of progress. If they are fundamentally wrong, free discussion will in time put an end to them. Abraham Flexner selfplayscience Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then [these?], any man might instantly use what another had invented; so that the inventor had no special advantage from his own invention. The patent system changed this; secured to the inventor, for a limited time, the exclusive use of his invention; and thereby added the fuel of interest to the fire of genius, in the discovery and production of new and useful things. Abraham Lincoln mensciencecountry Human nature is not nearly as bad as it has been thought to be. Abraham Maslow human-naturehumansscience [Concerning] the usual contempt with which an orthodox analytic group treats all outsiders and strangers ... I urge you to think of the young psychoanalysts as your colleagues, collaborators and partners and not as spies, traitors and wayward children. You can never develop a science that way, only an orthodox church. Abraham Maslow sciencechildrenthinking To make a discovery is not necessarily the same as to understand a discovery. Abraham Pais understandingdiscoveryscience There is not a soul on Earth who can read the deluge of physics publications in its entirety. As a result, it is sad but true that physics has irretrievably fallen apart from a cohesive to a fragmented discipline. ... It was not that long ago that people were complaining about two cultures. If we only had it that good. today. Abraham Pais long-agotwoscience [George] Uhlenbeck was a highly gifted physicist. One of his remarkable traits was he would read every issue of T%he Physical Review from cover to cover. Abraham Pais issuesbiographiesscience For it is the same whether you take it that the Earth is in motion or the Sky. For, in both the cases, it does not affect the Astronomical Science. It is just for the Physicist to see if it is possible to refute it. Abu Rayhan al-Biruni doeskyscience I despise people who depend on these things [heroin and cocaine]. If you really want a mind-altering experience, look at a tree. A.C. Grayling treesciencepeople1234567891011»
