The ability to reduce everything to simple fundamental laws does not imply the ability to start from those laws and reconstruct the universe. Philip Warren Anderson More Quotes by Philip Warren Anderson More Quotes From Philip Warren Anderson The Nobel Prize gives one the opportunity to take public stands. Philip Warren Anderson nobel opportunity giving We atheists can argue that, with the modern revolution in attitudes toward homosexuals, we have become the only group that may not reveal itself in normal social discourse. Philip Warren Anderson groups atheist attitude Of course I am not religious — I don't in fact see how any scientist who thinks at all deeply can be so. Philip Warren Anderson religious facts thinking My belief is based on the fact that string theory is the first science in hundreds of years to be pursued in pre-Baconian fashion, without any adequate experimental guidance. Philip Warren Anderson adequate fashion years One of our brainchildren is a still viable Science and Society course. Philip Warren Anderson science-and-society courses stills Feynman's cryptic remark, "no one is that much smarter ...," to me, implies something Feynman kept emphasizing: that the key to his achievements was not anything "magical" but the right attitude, the focus on nature's reality, the focus on asking the right questions, the willingness to try (and to discard) unconventional answers, the sensitive ear for phoniness, self-deception, bombast, and conventional but unproven assumptions. Philip Warren Anderson nature attitude science I have also testified repeatedly and published some articles in favor of Small Science. Philip Warren Anderson articles favors The years since the Nobel Prize have been productive ones for me. Philip Warren Anderson prize nobel years The first months at Harvard were more than challenging, as I came to the realization that the humanities could be genuinely interesting, and, in fact, given the weaknesses of my background, very difficult. Philip Warren Anderson humanity challenges interesting A souvenir of those years is a small cottage on the cliffs of Cornwall, where Joyce and I spend a spring month every year, hiking and seeing friends. Philip Warren Anderson hiking spring years Although raised on the farm - my grandfather was an unsuccessful fundamentalist preacher turned farmer - my father and his brother both became professors. Philip Warren Anderson agriculture brother father The prize seemed to change my professional life very little. Philip Warren Anderson professional-life prize littles I acquired an admiration for Japanese culture, art, and architecture, and learned of the existence of the game of GO, which I still play. Philip Warren Anderson games play art The field of quantum valence fluctuations was another older interest which became much more active during this period, partly as a consequence of my own efforts. Philip Warren Anderson quantum effort fields An important impression was my father's one Sabbatical year, spent in England and Europe in 1937. Philip Warren Anderson year important europe father My own work in spin glass and its consequences has formed some of the intellectual basis for these interests. Philip Warren Anderson own my-own intellectual work
