A biologist, if he wishes to know how many toes a cat has, does not "frame the hypothesis that the number of feline digital extremities is 4, or 5, or 6," he simply looks at a cat and counts. A… — Anthony Standen Copy Share Image
It is true that physics gives a wonderful training in precise, logical thinking-about physics. It really does depend upon accurate reproducible experiments, and upon framing hypotheses with the greatest possible freedom from dogmatic prejudice. And if these were the really… — Anthony Standen Copy Share Image
The velocity of light occupies an extraordinary place in modern physics. It is lèse-majesté to make any criticism of the velocity of light. It… — Anthony Standen Copy Share Image
The really important questions in human life are hardly touched upon by psychologists. Do liars come to believe their own lies? Is pleasure the… — Anthony Standen Copy Share Image
If you want to understand human beings, there are plenty of people to go to besides psychologists.... Most of these people are incapable of… — Anthony Standen Copy Share Image
Survival of the fittest led to "nature red in tooth and claw" and this is not sufficiently wishy-washy for modern scientists. — Anthony Standen Copy Share Image
Scientists are convinced that they, as scientists, possess a number of very admirable human qualities, such as accuracy, observation, reasoning power, intellectual curiosity, tolerance,… — Anthony Standen Copy Share Image
But regular biology, as an "ology," has to be "scientific," and this means in practice that it has to be made dull.... Everything has… — Anthony Standen Copy Share Image
A biologist, if he wishes to know how many toes a cat has, does not "frame the hypothesis that the number of feline digital… — Anthony Standen Copy Share Image
The dreadful cocksureness that is characteristic of scientists in bulk is not only quite foreign to the spirit of true science, it is not… — Anthony Standen Copy Share Image
There's many a true word spoken in jest; scientists are abominably solemn; therefore scientists miss many a true word. — Anthony Standen Copy Share Image
Chemists are, on the whole, like physicists, only 'less so'.They don't make quite the same wonderful mistakes, and much what they do is an… — Anthony Standen Copy Share Image
The first thing to realize about physics ... is its extraordinary indirectness.... For physics is not about the real world, it is about "abstractions"… — Anthony Standen Copy Share Image
If this "critical openminded attitude" ... is wanted, the question at once arises, Is it science that should be studied in order to achieve… — Anthony Standen Copy Share Image
