I maintain there is much more wonder in science than in pseudoscience. And in addition, to whatever measure this term has any meaning, science has the additional virtue, and it is not an inconsiderable one, of being true.

About Carl Sagan

Portrait of Carl Sagan

Carl Edward Sagan (; SAY-gən; November 9, 1934 – December 20, 1996) was an American astronomer, planetary scientist and science communicator. Initially an assistant professor at Harvard, Sagan later moved to Cornell, where he was the David Duncan Professor of Astronomy and Space Sciences and directed the Laboratory for Planetary...

More quotations from Carl Sagan

The entire recent history of biology shows that we are, to a remarkable degree, the results of the interactions of an extremely complex array of molecules; and the aspect of biology that was once considered its holy of holies, the nature of the genetic material, has now been fundamentally understood in terms of the chemistry of its constituent nucleic acids, DNA and RNA, and their operational agents, the proteins.

—Carl Sagan in The Dragons of Eden

biology protein DNA genetics

My fundamental premise about the brain is that its workings—what we sometimes call "mind"—are a consequence of its anatomy and physiology, and nothing more.

—Carl Sagan in The Dragons of Eden

mind brain anatomy phsiology

For small creatures such as we the vastness is bearable only through love.

Humans—who enslave, castrate, experiment on, and fillet other animals—have had an understandable penchant for pretending animals do not feel pain. A sharp distinction between humans and "animals" is essential if we are to bend them to our will, wear them, eat them—without any disquieting tinges of guilt or regret.

regret pain guilt animals humans

Where we have strong emotions, we're liable to fool ourselves.

More quotations tagged with “science”

A physicist is an atom's way of knowing about atoms.

wonder science physics

Science is nothing but developed perception, interpreted intent, common sense rounded out and minutely articulated.

—George Santayana

perception science

It is a good morning exercise for a research scientist to discard a pet hypothesis every day before breakfast. It keeps him young.

—Konrad Lorenz

science age bias

We live in a society exquisitely dependent on science and technology, in which hardly anyone knows anything about science and technology.

technology knowledge science ignorace

The first principle is that you must not fool yourself—and you are the easiest person to fool.

—Richard Feynman

perception science foolishness

History

15 Nov 2013 Added