Jacob Bronowski Quotes

Science is not wisdom.

BEFORE I DISCOVERED THE miracles of science, magic ruled the world.

Magic and all that is ascribed to it is a deep presentiment of the powers of science.

Science, in the broadest sense, includes all reasonable claims to knowledge about ourselves and the world.

Every great advance in natural knowledge has involved the absolute rejection of authority.

The scientist, like the magician, possesses secrets. A secret — expertise — is somehow perceived as antidemocratic, and therefore ought to be unnatural

The typical person has no trouble believing without knowing. What people need to realize is simply that you do not need to believe to know.

Philosophy is empty if it isn't based on science. Science discovers, philosophy interprets.

Without science, everything is a miracle.

Language is inexorably tied to power and understanding. And power and understanding are the roots of magic. Just the act of writing something down is a magical act.

Witchcraft to the ignorant, .... Simple science to the learned.

Science as such assuredly has no authority, for she can only say what is, not what is not.

Science is nothing but developed perception, interpreted intent, common sense rounded out and minutely articulated.

It is in the best interests of civilization and our economy and our nation to understand what objective truths are as revealed by the methods and tools of science.

Belief is not the beginning of knowledge - it is the end.

God forbid that Truth should be confined to Mathematical Demonstration!

The scientific process has two motives: one is to understand the natural world, the other is to control it.

Every science in a certain degree starts from faith, and, on the contrary, faith, which does not lead to science, is mistaken faith or superstition, but real, genuine faith it is not.

Science begets knowledge; opinion, ignorance.

To practice magic is to be a quack; to know magic is to be a sage.

The proving power of the intellect or the senses was questioned by the skeptics more than two thousand years ago; but they were browbeaten into confusion by the glory of Newtonian physics.

Science is the most reliable guide in life.

All true knowledge contradicts common sense.

Theory is continually the precursor of truth; we must pass through the twilight and its shade, to arrive at the full and perfect day.

A few drops of science will often disinfect an entire barrel full of ignorance and prejudice.