It was at Bell Labs that I first made direct contact with real semiconductor experts and thus began to fully understand what amazing materials they were and what they could do. Robert B. Laughlin More Quotes by Robert B. Laughlin More Quotes From Robert B. Laughlin Another important aspect of our home was respect for ideas. Robert B. Laughlin respect important home ideas Over the course of time this gave us a deep respect for ideas, both our own and those of others, and an understanding that conflict through debate is a powerful means of revealing truth. Robert B. Laughlin debate respect truth time One of the terrific aspects of MIT in those days was the enormous variety of experimental work that either took place there or was talked about in seminars by outside speakers aggressively recruited by the faculty. Robert B. Laughlin days outside place work It was at this moment that I wrote my first important paper in theoretical physics. I was 32 years old, 5 years beyond the alleged age of senility for theorists. Robert B. Laughlin moment physics important age