Quotes by John Charles Polanyi

John Charles Polanyi

[Intellectual courage is] the quality that allows one to believe in one’s judgement in the face of disappointment and widespread skepticism. Intellectual courage is even rarer than physical courage.

Believe

Courage

Disappointment

A new sense of shared international responsibility is unmistakable in the voices of the United Nations and its agencies, and in the civil society of thousands of supra-national NGOs.

Agency

Responsibility

Voice

A wise man in China asked his gardener to plant a shrub. The gardener objected that it only flowered once in a hundred years. “In that case,” said the wise man, “plant it immediately.” [On the importance of fundamental research.]

Science

Wisdom

Wise

At the heart of science lies discovery which involves a change in worldview. Discovery in science is possible only in societies which accord their citizens the freedom to pursue the truth where it may lead and which therefore have respect for different paths to that truth.

Freedom

Lying

Truth

Authority in science exists to be questioned, since heresy is the spring from which new ideas flow.

Flow

Ideas

Spring

Discoveries that are anticipated are seldom the most valuable. … It’s the scientist free to pilot his vessel across hidden shoals into open seas who gives the best value.

Discovery

Science

Sea

Even in the world of molecules the civilising influence of modest restraints is a cause for rejoicing.

Causes

Molecules

World

For science must breathe the oxygen of freedom.

Breathe

Oxygen

Human dignity is better served by embracing knowledge.

Dignity

Human Dignity

Personal Dignity

I knew, however, that it would cost ten times what I had available in order to build a molecular beam machine. I decided to follow a byway, rather than the highway. It is a procedure I have subsequently recommended to beginning scientists in this country, where research strategy is best modelled on that used by Wolfe at the Plains of Abraham.

Country

Order

Science

Follow The Behaviour University in order to get the greatest quotes from the greatest people of all time so that you can tap into your own greatness.

Actors

Agency

Assessment

Authority

Believe

Bombers

Breathe

Causes

Celebration

Character

Color

Country

Courage

Delight

Democracies Have

Democracy

Dignity

Disappointment

Discovery

Dissent

Doe

Dreamer

Economic

Encouragement

Ends

Essentials

Ethnicity

Eye

Facts

Flow

Form

Freedom

Giving

Giving Up

Goal

Human Dignity

Humans

Idealism

Ideas

Ifs

Insomnia

Inspirational

Irrelevant

Journey

Lying

Mind

Molecules

Never Giving Up

Nice

Nuclear

The Future Blueprint

Tool

The Home Therapist: Anti Anxiety

Tool

The Autobiography

Tool

The Behaviour Diary

Tool

The Dating Diary

Tool

The Relationship Therapist

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Quotes by John Charles Polanyi

John Charles Polanyi

[Intellectual courage is] the quality that allows one to believe in one’s judgement in the face of disappointment and widespread skepticism. Intellectual courage is even rarer than physical courage.

A new sense of shared international responsibility is unmistakable in the voices of the United Nations and its agencies, and in the civil society of thousands of supra-national NGOs.

A wise man in China asked his gardener to plant a shrub. The gardener objected that it only flowered once in a hundred years. “In that case,” said the wise man, “plant it immediately.” [On the importance of fundamental research.]

At the heart of science lies discovery which involves a change in worldview. Discovery in science is possible only in societies which accord their citizens the freedom to pursue the truth where it may lead and which therefore have respect for different paths to that truth.

Authority in science exists to be questioned, since heresy is the spring from which new ideas flow.

Discoveries that are anticipated are seldom the most valuable. … It’s the scientist free to pilot his vessel across hidden shoals into open seas who gives the best value.

Even in the world of molecules the civilising influence of modest restraints is a cause for rejoicing.

For science must breathe the oxygen of freedom.

Human dignity is better served by embracing knowledge.

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