Scientist

Explore 194 quotes by Scientists

To doubt everything and to believe everything are two equally convenient solutions; each saves us from thinking.

Henri Poincaré

Science and Hypothesis

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Topic

Critical thinking Doubt and skepticism Credulity

Author

Henri Poincaré

Source

Science and Hypothesis

Genre

Scientific literature

Language

French

Time

1902 1900s 20th century

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Poincare, Henri. La science et l'hypothese [Science and Hypothesis]. Flammarion, 1902, introduction.

Current Citation

Poincare, Henri. Science and Hypothesis: The Complete Text, translated by Melanie Frappier, Andrea Smith and David J. Stump, edited by Melanie Frappier and David J. Stump. Bloomsbury Academic, 2022, preface.

Discovery consists of seeing what everybody has seen and thinking what nobody has thought.

Albert von Szent-Gyorgyi

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Topic

Discovery Originality Creativity

Speaker

Albert von Szent-Gyorgyi

Language

English

Time

1962 1960s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Szent-Gyorgyi, Albert. Quoted in The Scientist Speculates: An Anthology of Partly-Baked Ideas, written by Irving John Good. Heinemann, 1962, ch. 1, sect. 6.

From the war of nature, from famine and death, the most exalted object which we are capable of conceiving, namely, the production of the higher animals, directly follows.

Charles Darwin

On the Origin of Species

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Topic

Natural selection Evolution

Author

Charles Darwin

Source

On the Origin of Species

Genre

Scientific literature

Language

English

Time

1859 1850s 19th century

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Darwin, Charles. On the Origin of Species. London: John Murray, 1859, ch. 14.

Current Citation

Darwin, Charles. The Origin of the Species, edited by William Bynum. Penguin, 2009, ch. 14.

This most beautiful system of the sun, planets and comets, could only proceed from the counsel and dominion of an intelligent and powerful Being... This Being governs all things, not as the soul of the world, but as Lord over all; and on account of his dominion he is wont, to be called Lord God παντοκρατωρ or Universal Ruler.

Isaac Newton

Principia

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Topic

Origin of the universe Creation of the world Creation God

Author

Isaac Newton

Source

Principia

Genre

Scientific literature

Language

Latin

Time

1713 1710s 18th century

Era

Age of Enlightenment

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Newton, Isaac. Scholium Generale. [General Scolium]. Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica [The Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy] vol. 2. London: Benjamin Motte, 1729.

Current Citation

Newton, Isaac. "General Scolium." The Principia, translated by Andrew Motte. Prometheus, 1995.

If it could be demonstrated that any complex organ existed, which could not possibly have been formed by numerous, successive, slight modifications, my theory would absolutely break down. But I can find out no such case.

Charles Darwin

On the Origin of Species

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Topic

Natural selection Evolution

Author

Charles Darwin

Source

On the Origin of Species

Genre

Scientific literature

Language

English

Time

1859 1850s 19th century

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Darwin, Charles. On the Origin of Species. London: John Murray, 1859, ch. 6.

Current Citation

Darwin, Charles. The Origin of the Species, edited by William Bynum. Penguin, 2009, ch. 6.

The Simiadae then branched off into two great stems, the New World and Old World monkeys; and from the latter, at a remote period, Man, the wonder and glory of the Universe, proceeded.

Charles Darwin

The Descent of Man

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Topic

Human origins Evolution

Author

Charles Darwin

Source

The Descent of Man

Genre

Scientific literature

Language

English

Time

1871 1870s 19th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Darwin, Charles. The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex. London: John Murray, 1871, pt. 2, ch. 6.

Current Citation

Darwin, Charles. The Descent of Man. Penguin Classics, 2004, pt. 2, ch. 6.

Both in space and time, we seem to be brought somewhat near to that great fact—that mystery of mysteries—the first appearance of new beings on this earth.

Charles Darwin

The Voyage of the Beagle

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Topic

Origin of life

Author

Charles Darwin

Source

The Voyage of the Beagle

Genre

Scientific literature

Language

English

Time

1835 1830s 19th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Darwin, Charles. Journal entry. 8 Oct. 1835.

Current Citation

Darwin, Charles. "The Voyage of the Beagle." The Origin of Species and The Voyage of the Beagle. Everyman's Library, 2003, ch. 17.

Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge: it is those who know little, and not those who know much, who so positively assert that this or that problem will never be solved by science.

Charles Darwin

The Descent of Man

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Topic

Ignorance Science

Author

Charles Darwin

Source

The Descent of Man

Genre

Scientific literature

Language

English

Time

1871 1870s 19th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Darwin, Charles. The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex. London: John Murray, 1871, introduction.

Current Citation

Darwin, Charles. The Descent of Man. Penguin Classics, 2004, introduction.

The eternal mystery of the world is its comprehensibility.

Albert Einstein

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Topic

Nature of the world Science The world

Author

Albert Einstein

Source

Physics and Reality The Journal of the Franklin Institute

Medium

Academic journal

Genre

Scientific literature

Statement Type

Paradox

Language

English

Time

1936 1930s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Einstein, Albert. "Physics and Reality." The Journal of the Franklin Institute, Mar. 1936.

Current Citation

Einstein, Albert. "Physics and Reality." The Essential Einstein: His Greatest Works. Penguin, 2008, ch. 13.

What a book a Devil's chaplain might write on the clumsy, wasteful, blundering low, & horridly cruel works of nature!

Charles Darwin

More information about this quote

Topic

Nature Evolution

Author

Charles Darwin

Source

Letters of Charles Darwin

Medium

Letter

Language

English

Time

1856 1850s 19th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Darwin, Charles. Letter to J. D. Hooker. 13 July 1856.

Current Citation

Darwin, Charles. "To J. D. Hooker, 13 July 1856." The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, edited by Frederick Burkhardt and James A. Secord. Vol. 6: 1856-1857. Cambridge University Press, 1990, no. 1924.

The essence of life is statistical improbability on a colossal scale.

Richard Dawkins

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More information about this quote

Topic

Nature of life Biological life

Author

Richard Dawkins

Source

The Blind Watchmaker

Genre

Scientific literature

Language

English

Time

1986 1980s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Dawkins, Richard. The Blind Watchmaker. Norton & Company, 1986, ch. 11.

The whole of science is nothing more than a refinement of every day thinking.

Albert Einstein

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More information about this quote

Topic

Scientific method Science Common sense

Author

Albert Einstein

Source

Physics and Reality The Journal of the Franklin Institute

Medium

Academic journal

Genre

Scientific literature

Language

English

Time

1936 1930s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Einstein, Albert. "Physics and Reality." The Journal of the Franklin Institute, Mar. 1936.

Current Citation

Einstein, Albert. "Physics and Reality." The Essential Einstein: His Greatest Works. Penguin, 2008, ch. 13.

I never think of the future—it comes soon enough.

Albert Einstein

More information about this quote

Topic

The future Being present The present

Speaker

Albert Einstein

Medium

Interview

Language

German

Time

1930 1930s 20th century

Authentication Score 1

Citation

Einstein, Albert. Quoted in "Clearfield Progress, Would Take Three Days to Make Simple Explanation of Theories, Says Einstein," by David P. Sentner, I. N. S. (International News Service) Correspondent. Quote Page 1, Column 1, Clearfield, Pennsylvania. 12 Dec. 1930.

Animals whom we have made our slaves we do not like to consider our equals.

Charles Darwin

More information about this quote

Topic

Man and animals Animals

Author

Charles Darwin

Source

Notebooks of Charles Darwin

Medium

Personal journal

Language

English

Time

1838 1830s 19th century

Authentication Score 0

Original Citation

Darwin, Charles. "Notebook B." Transmutation of Species. 1837-1838, p. 231.

Current Citation

Darwin, Charles. "Transmutation of Species: Notebook B [1837-1838]." Charles Darwin's Notebooks, 1836–1844, transcribed and edited by David Kohn. Cambridge University Press, 2009.

Gravity explains the motions of the planets, but it cannot explain who sets the planets in motion.

Isaac Newton

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Topic

Gravity God Origin of the universe Science and religion

Speaker

Isaac Newton

Language

English

Time

1702 1700s 18th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Newton, Isaac. A New and Most Accurate Theory of the Moon's Motion. London: A. Baldwin, 1702.

With me the horrid doubt always arises whether the convictions of man's mind, which has been developed from the mind of the lower animals, are of any value or at all trustworthy.

Charles Darwin

More information about this quote

Topic

Human cognition The mind Evolution

Author

Charles Darwin

Source

Letters of Charles Darwin

Medium

Letter

Language

English

Time

1881 1880s 19th century

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Darwin, Charles. Letter to William Graham. 3 July 1881.

Current Citation

Darwin, Charles. "To William Graham, 3 July 1881." The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, edited by Frederick Burkhardt and James A. Secord. Vol. 29: 1870. Cambridge University Press, 2022, no. 13230.

Irrationally held truths may be more harmful than reasoned errors.

T.H. Huxley

More information about this quote

Topic

Irrationality Reason

Speaker

T.H. Huxley

Source

The Coming of Age of the Origin of Species

Medium

Lecture

Language

English

Time

1880 1880s 19th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Huxley, Thomas Henry. "The Coming of Age of The Origin of Species." 19 Mar. 1880, Royal Institution, London, England, UK. Lecture.

A man's worst difficulties begin when he is able to do as he likes.

T.H. Huxley

More information about this quote

Topic

Downsides of freedom Unlimited freedom Freedom

Speaker

T.H. Huxley

Source

Address on University Education

Medium

Speech

Statement Type

Paradox

Language

English

Time

1876 1870s 19th century

Authentication Score 2

Citation

Huxley, Thomas Henry. Address on university education. Formal opening gathering. 12 Sept. 1876, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.

The unleashed power of the atom has changed everything save our modes of thinking and we thus drift toward unparalleled catastrophe.

Albert Einstein

More information about this quote

Topic

Nuclear weapons

Author

Albert Einstein

Source

Telegram to prominent Americans

Language

German

Time

1946 1940s 20th century

Authentication Score 1

Citation

Einstein, Albert. "Atomic Education Urged by Einstein." New York Times, 25 May 1946. Originally from "Telegram to prominent Americans." 24 May 1946. USA.

Whence is it that Nature does nothing in vain: and whence arises all that Order and Beauty which we see in the World?... does it not appear from Phenomena that there is a Being incorporeal, living, intelligent, omnipresent, who in infinite Space, as it were in his Sensory, sees the things themselves intimately, and throughly perceives them, and comprehends them wholly.

Isaac Newton

Opticks: or, A Treatise of the Reflexions, Refractions, Inflexions and Colours of Light

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Topic

God and nature Nature

Author

Isaac Newton

Source

Opticks: or, A Treatise of the Reflexions, Refractions, Inflexions and Colours of Light

Medium

Treatise

Genre

Scientific literature

Language

English

Time

1704 1700s 18th century

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Newton, Isaac. Opticks: or, A Treatise of the Reflexions, Refractions, Inflexions and Colours of Light. London: Samuel Smith and Benjamin Walford, 1704, bk. 3, pt. 1, question 28.

Current Citation

Newton, Isaac. Opticks. Dover Publications, 2012, bk. 3, pt. 1, question 28.