An atom must be at least as complex as a grand piano. William Kingdon Clifford More Quotes by William Kingdon Clifford More Quotes From William Kingdon Clifford We feel much happier and more secure when we think we know precisely what to do, no matter what happens, then when we have lost our way and do not know where to turn. William Kingdon Clifford matterwaythinking When an action is once done, it is right or wrong for ever; no accidental failure of its good or evil fruits can possibly alter that. William Kingdon Clifford fruitdoneevil Our lives our guided by that general conception of the course of things which has been created by society for social purposes. William Kingdon Clifford coursespurposesocial He who truly believes that which prompts him to an action has looked upon the action to lust after it, he has committed it already in his heart. William Kingdon Clifford lustheartbelieve If a belief is not realized immediately in open deeds, it is stored up for the guidance of the future. William Kingdon Clifford deedsguidancebelief The aim of scientific thought, then, is to apply past experience to new circumstances; the instrument is an observed uniformity in the course of events. By the use of this instrument it gives us information transcending our experience, it enables us to infer things that we have not seen from things that we have seen; and the evidence for the truth of that information depends on our supposing that the uniformity holds good beyond our experience. William Kingdon Clifford supposing-thatgivingpast It is wrong always, everywhere, and for anyone, to believe anything upon insufficient evidence. William Kingdon Clifford wronganythingalwaysbelieve In like manner, if I let myself believe anything on insufficient evidence, there may be no great harm done by the mere belief; it may be true after all, or I may never have occasion to exhibit it in outward acts. William Kingdon Clifford nevergreatmyselfbelieve Nor is it that truly a belief at all which has not some influence upon the actions of him who holds it. William Kingdon Clifford somewhoinfluencebelief Into this, for good or ill, is woven every belief of every man who has speech of his fellows. A awful privilege, and an awful responsibility, that we should help to create the world in which posterity will live. William Kingdon Clifford goodmanresponsibilityworld To sum up: it is wrong always, everywhere, and for anyone, to believe anything upon insufficient evidence. William Kingdon Clifford wronganythingalwaysbelieve To consider only one other such witness: the followers of the Buddha have at least as much right to appeal to individual and social experience in support of the authority of the Eastern saviour. William Kingdon Clifford rightsupportexperienceauthority The rule which should guide us in such cases is simple and obvious enough: that the aggregate testimony of our neighbours is subject to the same conditions as the testimony of any one of them. William Kingdon Clifford ussamesimpleenough
