Edward-condon Quote by Carl Sagan
““Condon, quick on his feet, replied that the accusation was untrue. He was not a revolutionary in physics. He raised his right hand: “I believe in Archimedes’ Principle, formulated in the third century B.C. I believe in Kepler’s laws of planetary motion, discovered in the seventeenth century. I believe in Newton’s laws.…” And on he went, invoking the illustrious names of Bernoulli, Fourier, Ampère, Boltzmann, and Maxwell.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Cosmos, Carl Sagan, 1980
A character defends his scientific credibility by invoking classic laws and renowned scientists.
In simple terms: Defending ideas by citing famous scientific principles.
Key Takeaway
Use evidence and authority wisely.
Themes
science
credibility
argumentation
Mood
analytical
critical
Type
educational
inspirational
When to use this quote
- Debates
- academic presentations
- public speaking
Key Concepts
Physics
historical scientific figures
logic
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you balance respect for tradition with innovative ideas?
- When is it better to present data over names?
A Different Perspective
Relying solely on authority can stifle original thinking.
![“[ When a religious couple wrote to Sagan about fulfilled prophecies, he wrote back in May 1996 :] If ‘fulfilled prophecy’ is your criterion, why do you not believe in materialistic science, which has an unparalleled record of fulfilled prophecy? Consider, for example, eclipses.” quote by Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/875/carl-sagan-160_belief_when-a-religious-couple-wrote-to-sagan-a_25095.jpg)
