Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection is the only workable explanation that has ever been proposed for the remarkable fact of our own existence, indeed the existence of all life wherever it may turn up in the universe. — John Maynard Smith Copy Share Image
It is an occupational risk of biologists to claim, towards the end of their careers, that the problems which they have not solved are… — John Maynard Smith Copy Share Image
As an evolutionary biologist, I have learned over the years that most people do not want to see themselves as lumbering robots programmed to… — John Maynard Smith Copy Share Image
It is in the nature of science that once a position becomes orthodox it should be suggested to criticism… It does not follow that,… — John Maynard Smith Copy Share Image
Scientific theories tell us what is possible; myths tell us what is desirable. Both are needed to guide proper action. — John Maynard Smith Copy Share Image
I can't go around believing in a God that believes suffering is good for me. — John Maynard Smith Copy Share Image
Evolutionary game theory is a way of thinking about evolution at the phenotypic level when the fitnesses of particular phenotypes depend on their frequencies… — John Maynard Smith Copy Share Image
Paradoxically, it has turned out that game theory is more readily applied to biology than to the field of economic behavior for which it… — John Maynard Smith Copy Share Image
This argument [that life is too improbable to have arisen by chance] comes up repeatedly: its latest manifestation is Hoyle's discussion of the likelihood… — John Maynard Smith Copy Share Image
So far, we have been able to study only one evolving system and we cannot wait for interstellar flight to provide us with a… — John Maynard Smith Copy Share Image
The evolution of sex is the hardest problem in evolutionary biology. — John Maynard Smith Copy Share Image
Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection is the only workable explanation that has ever been proposed for the remarkable fact of our own… — John Maynard Smith Copy Share Image
Mathematics without natural history is sterile, but natural history without mathematics is muddled. — John Maynard Smith Copy Share Image
“Thus three conclusions emerge from the eye story: (1) it is easier to inherit a ‘vision acquisition device’ than a full-blown hard-wired visual analyser;… — John Maynard Smith Copy Share Image
![“This argument [that life is too improbable to have arisen by chance] comes up repeatedly: its latest manifestation is Hoyle's discussion of the likelihood of a wind blowing through a junkyard assembling a Boeing 707 [sic]. What is wrong with it? Essentially, it is that no biologist imagines that…” quote by John Maynard Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/8b2/john-maynard-smith-28856_argument_this-argument-that-life-is-too-improbabl_1662785.jpg)
