Those who have obtained the farthest insight into Nature have been, in all ages, firm believers in God.

Hence no force, however great, can stretch a cord, however fine, into a horizontal line which is accurately straight: there will always be a bending downwards.

We cannot observe external things without some degree of Thought; nor can we reflect upon our Thoughts, without being influenced in the course of our reflection by the Things which we have observed.

The hypotheses we accept ought to explain phenomena which we have observed. But they ought to do more than this: our hypotheses ought to foretell phenomena which have not yet been observed.

The catastrophist constructs theories, the uniformitarian demolishes them.

It is a test of true theories not only to account for but to predict phenomena.

In art, truth is a means to an end; in science, it is the only end.

There is a mask of theory over the whole face of nature.

Every man has obligations which belong to his station. Duties extend beyond obligations, and direct the affections, desires, and intentions, as well as the actions.

Prudence supposes the value of the end to be assumed, and refers only to the adaptation of the means. It is the relation of right means for given ends.

A man really and practically looking onwards to an immortal life, on whatever grounds, exhibits to us the human soul in an enobled attitude.

Sometimes the ultimate act of self-compassion is turning off your phone and looking someone in the eye.

I go to bed with knowledge to dream, then dreams wake me up with the lights of wisdom.

If you are afraid to fail, then you are afraid to succeed. You can never succeed of you have not failed.

Knowledge is power, power corrupts. Study hard, be evil.

Sometimes one pays most for the things one gets for nothing.

Asking for help with shame says: You have the power over me. Asking with condescension says: I have the power over you. But asking for help with gratitude says: We have the power to help each other.

At a certain point, the atmosphere in the West could change. But I don't see determined political will [for that] at the moment.

A politician is a man who understands government, and it takes a politician to run a government. A statesman is a politician who's been dead 10 or 15 years.

My bedroom is my sanctuary. It's like a refuge, and it's where I do a fair amount of designing - at least conceptually, if not literally.

The few that pray at all pray oft amiss.