Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Comment on this quoteShare via Email Print this Page Daily Quotes Archives2021-11-17 Nov 17, 2021By freethinking I mean the use of the understanding in endeavoring to find out the meaning of any proposition whatsoever, in considering the nature of the evidence for or against, and in judging of it according to the seeming force or weakness of the evidence.~ Anthony CollinsIn questions of science the authority of a thousand is not worth the humble reasoning of a single individual.~ Galileo GalileiIf a theory and its proponents stubbornly refuse falsification by an ever increasing body of substantial conflicting evidence, the theory degenerates into a textbook example of dogmatic pseudo-science. The neo-Darwinian theory of macroevolution has failed on all fronts, from mathematical feasibility, to theoretical plausibility and explanatory power, to empirical support.~ Günter Bechly Nov 16, 2021Ever since the beginning of modern science, the best minds have recognized that "the range of acknowledged ignorance will grow with the advance of science." Unfortunately, the popular effect of this scientific advance has been a belief, seemingly shared by many scientists, that the range of our ignorance is steadily diminishing and that we can therefore aim at more comprehensive and deliberate control of all human activities. It is for this reason that those intoxicated by the advance of knowledge so often become the enemies of freedom.~ Friedrich August von HayekI know that most men -- not only those considered clever, but even those who are very clever and capable of understanding most difficult scientific, mathematical, or philosophic, problems -- can seldom discern even the simplest and most obvious truth if it be such as obliges them to admit the falsity of conclusions they have formed, perhaps with much difficulty -- conclusions of which they are proud, which they have taught to others, and on which they have built their lives.~ Leo Nikolaevich TolstoiCauses that live by politics, die by politics.~ Steven F. Hayward Nov 15, 2021Freedom is the oxygen without which science cannot breathe.~ David SarnoffTruth, in its struggles for recognition, passes through four distinct stages. First, we say it is damnable, dangerous, disorderly, and will surely disrupt society. Second, we declare it is heretical, infidelic and contrary to the Bible. Third, we say it is really a matter of no importance either one way or the other. Fourth, we aver that we have always upheld it and believed it.~ Elbert HubbardPhilosophy means the complete liberty of the mind, and therefore independence of all social, political or religious prejudice... It loves one thing only... truth.~ Henri Frederic Amiel Nov 12, 2021Curiosity is one of the permanent and certain characteristics of a vigorous intelligence.~ Dr. Samuel JohnsonThe first and simplest emotion which we discover in the human mind, is curiosity.~ Edmund BurkeWithin seven centuries, [the ancient Greeks] invented for itself, epic, elegy, lyric, tragedy, novel, democratic government, political and economic science, history, geography, philosophy, physics and biology; and made revolutionary advances in architecture, sculpture, painting, music, oratory, mathematics, astronomy, medicine, anatomy, engineering, law and war... a stupendous feat for whose most brilliant state Attica was the size of Hertfordshire, with a free population (including children) of perhaps 160,000.~ F. J. Lucas Nov 11, 2021The skeptic does not mean him who doubts, but him who investigates or researches, as opposed to him who asserts and thinks he has found.~ Miguel de Unamuno y Jugo[When] Men are not allowed to think freely about chemistry and biology, why should they be allowed to think freely about political philosophy?~ Auguste ComteOne of the saddest lessons of history is this: If we've been bamboozled long enough, we tend to reject any evidence of the bamboozle. We're no longer interested in finding out the truth. The bamboozle has captured us. It is simply too painful to acknowledge -- even to ourselves -- that we've been so credulous. (So the old bamboozles tend to persist as the new bamboozles rise.)~ Carl Sagan Previous week's quotes Next week's quotes Share on Facebook Tweet Email Print