Although I have previously featured a quote from Bertrand Russell I feel like today (a day late) is a good day for another. The reason in threefold: (1) my friend Holly owns an awesome cafe in Auckland central called Albert Park Cafe - which you should definitely go to if you are in Auckland - and she had a poster on the wall this morning depicting Albert Einstein (also previously featured in QOTD), Bertrand Russell and another 'Bert' that I don't know, (2) it was Bertrand Russell's birthday yesterday and (3) when I got out my quote book [Bertrand's] was on the page i opened to. It was destined by the spiritual woo inside me to happen. The quote itself warrants little discussion because it is quite direct and is unambiguous. Moreover, what more could I add, at least on his birthday.
"Many people would rather die than think. In fact, they do."
Showing posts with label daily quote. Show all posts
Showing posts with label daily quote. Show all posts
"The chief obstacle to the progress of the human race is the human race." - Don Marquis
This statement is often quite true. I have just started reading The Moral Landscape by Sam Harris (on my new kindle-get one). Early on, and I am sure later (actually I know later because I can word search with my kindle-see I told you to get one), Harris talks about stem-cell research and the opposition it faces in the US. Sadly, this opposition has significant negative impact on our ability to develop medical treatments that would save countless lives.
Note: sorry no photo this time.
This statement is often quite true. I have just started reading The Moral Landscape by Sam Harris (on my new kindle-get one). Early on, and I am sure later (actually I know later because I can word search with my kindle-see I told you to get one), Harris talks about stem-cell research and the opposition it faces in the US. Sadly, this opposition has significant negative impact on our ability to develop medical treatments that would save countless lives.
Note: sorry no photo this time.
G.K. Chesterton: "The Bible tells us to love our neighbours, and also to love our enemies; probably because they are generally the same people."
Harsh but sometimes true.
Noticing a trend in black and white images of the daily quoters. Did all the good things that people can say get used up before the invention of colour photography?
Harsh but sometimes true.
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| From here |
I am literally (Paul) not going to introduce today's quoter. I propose guessing who it is without the use of google and posting your guess in the comments.
"We must, however, acknowledge, as it seems to me, that man with all his noble qualities . . . still bears in his bodily frame the indelible stamp of his lowly origin"
"We must, however, acknowledge, as it seems to me, that man with all his noble qualities . . . still bears in his bodily frame the indelible stamp of his lowly origin"
Sir William Schwenck Gilbert: "[a]nd isn't you life extremely flat whit nothing whatever to grumble at!"
Well said Sir Gilbert. A life without grumbling would be boring indeed. W.S. Gilbert is the Gilbert of Gilbert and Sullivan who produced the musicals The Pirates of Penzance and The Mikado.
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| Sir W.S. Gilbert: image from Encyclopedia Britannica |
Well said Sir Gilbert. A life without grumbling would be boring indeed. W.S. Gilbert is the Gilbert of Gilbert and Sullivan who produced the musicals The Pirates of Penzance and The Mikado.
Mark Twain: "Such is the human race. Often it does seem such a pity that Noah . . . didn't miss the boat."
While the story of Noah's Ark, and the great flood are obviously a fairy tales, the quote is a great one. We can know that the idea of a global flood is a myth is from geological evidence.
Mark Twain is obviously famous for writing The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. The former is rather light-hearted, but the latter addresses some important contemporaneous themes, most importantly racism, which was rife in the southerns US states. From a religious perspective, Twain could be be described as a deist, at least that is what I can gather from Wikipedia.
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| Thanks Wikipedia |
While the story of Noah's Ark, and the great flood are obviously a fairy tales, the quote is a great one. We can know that the idea of a global flood is a myth is from geological evidence.
Mark Twain is obviously famous for writing The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. The former is rather light-hearted, but the latter addresses some important contemporaneous themes, most importantly racism, which was rife in the southerns US states. From a religious perspective, Twain could be be described as a deist, at least that is what I can gather from Wikipedia.
“Many people would sooner die than think. In fact, they do”The quote in my journal is from Bertrand Russell, although I prefer this one; “[t]he trouble with the world is stupid people are cocksure and the intelligent are doubtful.” This is so true and is exemplified by my previous post. The statement is written authoritatively, yet is in several instances well off the mark. Although I am jumping the gun there is an elegant example of the cocksureness of Ponatahi School’s taken from point nine:
Update: The February 2011 National Geographic stated that the archaeopteryx, whose well developed feathers causes a problem for dino to bird dating, was probably such a good flier, that it probably could take off from the ground. Well done National Geographic! We hope that the corrections flow down to the texbooks, but this may be hoping too much
Firstly, there is a clear misunderstanding of how science works. Science is a work in progress, and as Russell said, the intelligent are doubtful. Scientists are usually tentative in presenting their results and others are often quick to scrutinise new or unusual results. Furthermore, taking something from National Geographic as scientific consensus is unwise. When an idea is proposed in science is remains a testable hypothesis and tends to stay out of text books until it has very strong evidence to support it. Therefore, suggesting that text books should be changed based on presumably a single study is not generally going to happen. Sorry Ponatahi but you are hoping probably too much.
Note: I make no comment on the validity of the findings of the original study from which Nat Geo got their information because I have read neither the Nat Geo nor the original paper/s. I am suggeting rather that one must always be careful of scientific ‘facts’ published in popular press.
Today's quote comes from the great Albert Einstein.
Albert is unquestionably one of the greatest minds to have ever lived and almost certainly who ever will live. His contributions to humanity are virtually unmatched. He was an archetypal genius most famous for developing the theory of relativity.
Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former
Albert is unquestionably one of the greatest minds to have ever lived and almost certainly who ever will live. His contributions to humanity are virtually unmatched. He was an archetypal genius most famous for developing the theory of relativity.
Today's quote is from Douglas Adams, author of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. I have only seen the film which I enjoyed, although I believe the books are better as is usually the case.
The quote is quite appropriate given subjects covered previously:
" Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable in their disinclination to do so."
The quote is quite appropriate given subjects covered previously:
" Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable in their disinclination to do so."
My wife gave me a diary last christmas. I have kept three diaries in the past: one was a diary of a trip to Europe when I was 11, the second was from a trip to New Zealand when I was 15, and the final one started on my OE to England, it didn't last.
To date I haven't used the diary from my wife but I thought now might be a good time to start. I was reminded of the diary by a quote a friend of mine posted on facebook this week "It isn't that I'm not a people person, I'm just not a stupid people person." Why does that remind me of the diary? See the front cover of the diary below for a hint.
Each day in the diary has a quote from an historical figure including scientists, philosophers and musicians. All quote are in the theme of the title of the journal. I think I might try and post one each day, or at least as often as I write in the journal. Who knows? I might publish my memoirs including statements from the journal which themselves will be pyblished in a similar journal in the future.
Todays quote comes from Jean-Paul Sartre. It is rather simple and straight to the point although it does seem a bit too general and I'm not sure how much I agree with it.
To date I haven't used the diary from my wife but I thought now might be a good time to start. I was reminded of the diary by a quote a friend of mine posted on facebook this week "It isn't that I'm not a people person, I'm just not a stupid people person." Why does that remind me of the diary? See the front cover of the diary below for a hint.
Each day in the diary has a quote from an historical figure including scientists, philosophers and musicians. All quote are in the theme of the title of the journal. I think I might try and post one each day, or at least as often as I write in the journal. Who knows? I might publish my memoirs including statements from the journal which themselves will be pyblished in a similar journal in the future.
Todays quote comes from Jean-Paul Sartre. It is rather simple and straight to the point although it does seem a bit too general and I'm not sure how much I agree with it.
Hell is other people
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