“The most fortunate of us, in our journey through life, frequently meet with calamities and misfortunes which may greatly afflict us; and, to fortify our minds against the attacks of these calamities and misfortunes, should be one of the principal studies and endeavours of our lives.”

“The Courage to Teach,” 

“Well, what is that to me? I can't see her!" she cried.”

“The tendencies we have mentioned are something new for America. They arose when, under the influence of the two World Wars and the consequent concentration of all forces on a military goal, a predominantly military mentality developed, which with the almost sudden victory became even more accentuated. The characteristic feature of this mentality is that people place the importance of what Bertrand Russell so tellingly terms “naked power” far above all other factors which affect the relations between peoples. The Germans, misled by Bismarck’s successes in particular, underwent just such a transformation of their mentality—in consequence of which they were entirely ruined in less than a hundred years. I must frankly confess that the foreign policy of the United States since the termination of hostilities has reminded me, sometimes irresistibly, of the attitude of Germany under Kaiser Wilhelm II, and I know that, independent of me, this analogy has most painfully occurred to others as well. It is characteristic of the military mentality that non-human factors (atom bombs, strategic bases, weapons of all sorts, the possession of raw materials, etc.) are held essential, while the human being, his desires and thoughts—in short, the psychological factors—are considered as unimportant and secondary. Herein lies a certain resemblance to Marxism, at least insofar as its theoretical side alone is kept in view. The individual is degraded to a mere instrument; he becomes “human materiel.” The normal ends of human aspiration vanish with such a viewpoint. Instead, the military mentality raises “naked power” as a goal in itself—one of the strangest illusions to which men can succumb.”

“The punishment of evil doers consists in making them feel ashamed of themselves by doing them a great kindness.”

“A computer . . . has no worth unless it is programmed . . . The believer has tremendous potential, but that potential cannot be used until he is programmed with the Word of God.”

“Risk must be evaluated not by the fear it generates in you or the probability of your success, but by the value of the goal.”

“When power corrupts, poetry cleanses.”

“Es interesante que cuando Jesús quiso animar a sus seguidores a expandir su visión, les recordó que no “se echa vino nuevo en odres viejos”.2 Jesús estaba diciendo que no puedes tener una vida abundante con actitudes restringidas. Esa”

“I fully agree with you about the significance and educational value of methodology as well as history and philosophy of science. So many people today - and even professional scientists - seem to me like somebody who has seen thousands of trees but has never seen a forest. A knowledge of the historic and philosophical background gives that kind of independence from prejudices of his generation from which most scientists are suffering. This independence created by philosophical insight is - in my opinion - the mark of distinction between a mere artisan or specialist and a real seeker after truth.

“Talent Is Overrated,”

“Give up thinking as though not giving it up. Observe techniques as though not observing.”

“Most people overestimate what they can do in one year and underestimate what they can do in ten years.”

“It has been said that politics is the second oldest profession. I have learned that it bears a striking resemblance to the first.”

“A born-again Christian should no more think of going back to the old life than an adult to his childhood.”