Mary McCarthy Quotes

Science has not been successful by making up explanations of things that fit with the current social fabric.

I am not here concerned with intent, but with scientific standards, especially the ability to tell the difference between a fact, an opinion, a hypothesis, and a hole in the ground.

The man of science is a poor philosopher.

Science is about nothing but getting at the truth, and anything that gets in the way of that diminishes, in my experience, the science.

In science, we must be interested in things, not in persons.

The man of science has learned to believe in justification, not by faith, but by verification.

That is the essence of science: ask an impertinent question, and you are on the way to a pertinent answer.

Understanding truth is the primary objective of science, not doing good for the world.

Science is not a game in which arbitrary rules are used to decide what explanations are to be permitted.

Science must begin with myths and with the criticism of myth.

Science is not wisdom.

Science itself, therefore, may be regarded as a minimal problem, consisting of the completest possible presentment of facts with the least possible expenditure of thought.

Truth in science can be defined as the working hypothesis best suited to open the way to the next better one.

Reason, observation, and experience; the holy trinity of science.

Science by itself is about numbers, and it's about measuring things. It's very important but it's very dry.

Science isn't about authority or white coats; it's about following a method. That method is built on core principles: precision and transparency; being clear about your methods; being honest about your results; and drawing a clear line between the results, on the one hand, and your judgment calls about how those results support a hypothesis.

Science is a principle and a process of seeking truth. Truth cannot be purchased, and thus, truth cannot be altered by money.

My emotional investment is in finding truth. If string theory is wrong, I'd like to have known that yesterday. But if we can show it today or tomorrow, fantastic.

In scientific work, those who refuse to go beyond fact rarely get as far as fact.

The thrill of science is the process. It's a social process. It's a process of collective discovery. It's debate, it's experimentation and it's verification of claims that might be false. It's the greatest foundation for a society.

There are in fact two things, science and opinion; the former begets knowledge, the later ignorance.

Anecdotal thinking comes naturally; science requires training.

Science is a self-sufficient activity.

Science is nothing, but trained and organized common sense.

Science commits suicide when it adopts a creed.