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wonderful quotes about science Alison Campbell Feb 08

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This post is syndicated from BioBlog – Original Post

“Science knows no country, because knowledge belongs to humanity, and is the torch which illuminates the world.” – Louis Pasteur (via ScienceAlert on Facebook, where you can find many cool things.)

At ScienceAlert I also found this wonderful quote from Neil deGrasse Tyson: The good thing about science is that it’s true whether or not you believe in it.” (This is particularly relevant to a discussion we’ve been having over at SciBlogsNZ about interactions between scientific attidudes and people’s belief systems.)

Readers – please feel free to add your own favourite quotes to the list :-)

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carol 469 days ago

It’s not exactly a quote but the title of Carl Sagan’s book “The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark” is pretty damn good.
Darcy Cowan 469 days ago

I worry that, especially as the Millennium edges nearer, pseudoscience and superstition will seem year by year more tempting, the siren song of unreason more sonorous and attractive. Where have we heard it before? Whenever our ethnic or national prejudices are aroused, in times of scarcity, during challenges to national self-esteem or nerve, when we agonize about our diminished cosmic place and purpose, or when fanaticism is bubbling up around us-then, habits of thought familiar from ages past reach for the controls.

The candle flame gutters. Its little pool of light trembles. Darkness gathers. The demons begin to stir. [Carl Sagan, The Demon-Haunted World: Science As a Candle in the Dark]
Darcy Cowan 469 days ago

oops, didn’t make it clear enough that the entire previous comment is a quote.
Brendan Moyle 469 days ago

Oh, how about this one:

“I am tired of all this thing called science…We have spent millions in that sort of thing for the last few years, and it is time it should be stopped”
Simon Cameron- US Senator from Pennsylvania – 1865.
Alison Campbell 469 days ago

Darcy & Carol – “Demon-Haunted World” is one of my all-time favourite science books :-)

Brendan – good grief! Unfortunately the pronouncements of more recent US politicians (eg Sarah Palin) suggest that attitude is still with us.
Darcy Cowan 469 days ago

son, I need to re-read it. Practically the entire book is quote worthy.
Darcy Cowan 469 days ago

oops, Alison
really need to proof comments.
Michael Edmonds 469 days ago

from Dara O’Briain

“Science knows that it doesn’t know everything, otherwise it would stop…. But just because science doesn’t know everything that doesn’t mean you can fill in the gaps with whatever fairy tale most appeals to you”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMvMb90hem8
Alison Campbell 469 days ago

Darcy – I’ll forgive you ;-)

Michael – that one, I am going to steal.
Michael Edmonds 469 days ago

Steal away, it is one of my favourites and Dara delivers it brilliantly. Any of his clips are worth watching.
carol 465 days ago

“The real purpose of scientific method is to make sure Nature hasn’t misled you into thinking you know something you don’t actually know…” (R.M. Pirsig)