Jean Cocteau Quotes
One must not mistake majority for truth.
Cocteau, Jean. Le Coq et l'Arlequin. Éditions de la Sirène, 1918.
Insulting British Prime Minister Gladstone with what today might be taken as a compliment:
No other religion has ever preached majority rule so clearly and unambiguously. Because of this strong democratic philosophy, some dictatorial governments see the Bahai as particularly dangerous. Also some religions who see their doctrine and the world of God as being always right and the majority of people should not determine morality are even law. They recognize a higher power. Iran, in particular, has been a terrible persecutor of Bahai, their largest religious minority, which is the antithesis to the concept of a theocracy and at the opposite end of the religious spectrum from Islam. Bahai leaders had been executed. Bahai there are not allowed to attend higher education institutions, build religious facilities, preach openly or serve in many roles. See {614912}.
1st Earl of Beaconsfield
This is a very material quotation with regard to Congress creating science-related policies and legislation. The members of Congress know the least about scientific matters than almost anything else that they have to legislate about. So typically they rely on scientific experts. Scientists are witnesses at Congressional hearings and often the political, polarized staff arrange to have scientists who disagree in something. They both have PhDs in the field, but one may be a great scientists and the other, a lightweight. This is where Alverez’s point becomes so critical. The Congress and staff have to learn how to differentiate between a “second rater” or a “Fermi” one of the great physicists of all time.
Jean Maurice Eugène Clément Cocteau was a French poet, playwright, novelist, designer, filmmaker, visual artist and critic.
