Thomas Huxley

“The known is finite, the unknown infinite; intellectually we stand on an islet in the midst of an illimitable ocean of inexplicability. Our business in every generation is to reclaim a little more land, to add something to the extent and the solidity of our possessions.”

“The rung of a ladder was never meant to rest upon, but only to hold a man's foot long enough to enable him to put the other somewhat higher.”

“Freedom and order are not incompatible... truth is strength... free discussion is the very life of truth.”

“Proclaim human equality as loudly as you like, Witless will serve his brother.”

“The great tragedy of science - the slaying of a beautiful hypothesis by an ugly fact.”

“The scientific imagination always restrains itself within the limits of probability.”

“The improver of natural knowledge absolutely refuses to acknowledge authority, as such. For him, skepticism is the highest of duties; blind faith the one unpardonable sin.”

“Science is simply common sense at its best, that is, rigidly accurate in observation, and merciless to fallacy in logic.”

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

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

“Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.”

“Patience and tenacity are worth more than twice their weight of cleverness.”

“If a little knowledge is dangerous, where is the man who has so much as to be out of danger?”