Men have become the tools of their tools.
—Henry David Thoreau
There is no other species on the Earth that does science. It is, so far, entirely a human invention, evolved by natural selection in the cerebral cortex for one simple reason: it works. It is not perfect. It can be misused. It is only a tool. But it is by far the best tool we have, self-correcting, ongoing, applicable to everything. It has two rules. First: there are no sacred truths; all assumptions must be critically examined; arguments from authority are worthless. Second: whatever is inconsistent with the facts must be discarded or revised. We must understand the Cosmos as it is and not confuse how it is with how we wish it to be.
—Carl Sagan in Cosmos
If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.
—Abraham Maslow
I continue to get further away from the usual painter's tools such as easel, palette, brushes, etc.
—Jackson Pollock
Teachers are expected to reach unattainable goals with inadequate tools. The miracle is that at times they accomplish this impossible task.
—Haim Ginott