--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There are but few saints amongst…" description: "\"There are but few saints amongst scientists, as among other men, but truth itself is a goal comparable with sanctity.\" — George Sarton" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e28/george-sarton-17933_goal_there-are-but-few-saints-amongst-scienti_1523607.png" --- # There are but few saints amongst scientists, as among… ![“There are but few saints amongst scientists, as among other men, but truth itself is a goal comparable with sanctity.” quote by George Sarton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e28/george-sarton-17933_goal_there-are-but-few-saints-amongst-scienti_1523607.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e28/george-sarton-17933_goal_there-are-but-few-saints-amongst-scienti_1523607.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e28/george-sarton-17933_goal_there-are-but-few-saints-amongst-scienti_1523607.png) > “There are but few saints amongst scientists, as among other men, but truth itself is a goal comparable with sanctity.” [George Sarton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-sarton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Truth is a sacred pursuit, comparable to saintliness, even though few scientists are saintly. **In simple terms:** Truth is a holy goal. Key Takeaway Seek truth relentlessly. Themes truth science ethics integrity Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - research - academic writing - public policy - education Key Concepts philosophy epistemology morality Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance truth‑seeking with personal integrity? - Can truth be objective without ethical guidance? A Different Perspective Truth may be pursued without moral virtue. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Goal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goal/) [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Saint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saint/) [Sanctity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sanctity/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Scientist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scientist/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) ## Related quotes > [There is small chance of truth at the goal, where there is not childlike humility at the starting-post.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/there-is-small-chance-of-truth-at-the-goal-where-there-is-not/) [Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/) > [“Some came for sheer love of adventure and wanted no reward beyond that; some wanted fame or its counterfeit, publicity; some were mercenary and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-mckinley-gould/some-came-for-sheer-love-of-adventure-and-wanted-no-reward-beyond/) Lawrence McKinley Gould > [Our world is limited by the machinery we carry. It's very different to the 18th and 19th century Enlightenment scientists who were mostly men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-beckett/our-world-is-limited-by-the-machinery-we-carry-it-s-very-different-to/) [Bernard Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-beckett/) > [ \[Great scientists\] are men of bold ideas, but highly critical of their own ideas: they try to find whether their ideas are right by… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/great-scientists-are-men-of-bold-ideas-but-highly-critical-of-their/) [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) > [Every virtue inclines to stupidity, every stupidity to virtue; "stupid to the point of sanctity," they say in Russia, - let us be careful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/every-virtue-inclines-to-stupidity-every-stupidity-to-virtue-stupid/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Between the two men, somewhere, a truth is lying, and that is what I try to find.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-solti/between-the-two-men-somewhere-a-truth-is-lying-and-that-is-what-i-try/) [Georg Solti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-solti/) > [Love is above the laws, above the opinion of men; it is the truth, the flame, the pure element, the primary idea of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madame-de-stael/love-is-above-the-laws-above-the-opinion-of-men-it-is-the-truth-the/) [Madame de Stael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madame-de-stael/) > [If God does not save men by truth, he certainly will not save them by lies. And if the old gospel is not competent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/if-god-does-not-save-men-by-truth-he-certainly-will-not-save-them-by/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [“Error has turned animals into men; might truth be capable of turning man into an animal again?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/error-has-turned-animals-into-men-might-truth-be-capable-of-turning/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Not gold but only men can makeA people great and strong;Men who for truth and honors sakeStand fast and suffer long. Brave men who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/not-gold-but-only-men-can-makea-people-great-and-strong-men-who-for/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Affectation hath always had a greater share both in the action and discourse of men than truth and judgment have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aphra-behn/affectation-hath-always-had-a-greater-share-both-in-the-action-and/) [Aphra Behn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aphra-behn/) > [Truth as Circe. - Error has transformed animals into men; is truth perhaps capable of changing man back into an animal?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/truth-as-circe-error-has-transformed-animals-into-men-is-truth/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“Ladies, I have bad news for you. Men are pigs. No really. I know you think you know what I'm talking about but you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-markus-malloy/ladies-i-have-bad-news-for-you-men-are-pigs-no-really-i-know-you/) [Oliver Markus Malloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-markus-malloy/) > [The natures and dispositions of men are, not without truth, distinguished from the predominance of the planets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/the-natures-and-dispositions-of-men-are-not-without-truth/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [In the society of men the truth resides now less in what things are than in what they are not. Our social realities are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-d-laing/in-the-society-of-men-the-truth-resides-now-less-in-what-things-are/) [R. D. Laing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-d-laing/) ## More by George Sarton > [A deed happens in a definite place at a definite time, but if it be sufficiently great and pregnant, its virtue radiates everywhere in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-sarton/a-deed-happens-in-a-definite-place-at-a-definite-time-but-if-it-be/) [George Sarton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-sarton/) > [Men of science have made abundant mistakes of every kind; their knowledge has improved only because of their gradual abandonment of ancient errors, poor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-sarton/men-of-science-have-made-abundant-mistakes-of-every-kind-their/) [George Sarton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-sarton/) > [The history of science should not be an instrument to defend any kind of social or philosophic theory; it should be used only for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-sarton/the-history-of-science-should-not-be-an-instrument-to-defend-any-kind/) [George Sarton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-sarton/) > [Greek culture is pleasant to contemplate because of its great simplicity and naturalness, and because of the absence of gadgets, each of which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-sarton/greek-culture-is-pleasant-to-contemplate-because-of-its-great/) [George Sarton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-sarton/) > [Some forty years of experience in my field as a scholar and as a teacher have given me great confidence mixed with greater humility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-sarton/some-forty-years-of-experience-in-my-field-as-a-scholar-and-as-a/) [George Sarton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-sarton/) > [It would be foolish to give credit to Euclid for pangeometrical conceptions; the idea of geometry deifferent from the common-sense one never occurred to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-sarton/it-would-be-foolish-to-give-credit-to-euclid-for-pangeometrical/) [George Sarton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-sarton/) > [The historical order is very interesting, but accidental and capricious; if we would to understand the growth of knowledge, we cannot be satisfied with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-sarton/the-historical-order-is-very-interesting-but-accidental-and/) [George Sarton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-sarton/) > [The rationalism of the creative minds was tempered by abundant fantasies, and the supreme beauty of the monuments was probably spoiled by the circumambient…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-sarton/the-rationalism-of-the-creative-minds-was-tempered-by-abundant/) [George Sarton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-sarton/) > [If we are generous enough, we can stretch our souls everywhere and everywhen else. If we succeed in doing so, we shall discover that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-sarton/if-we-are-generous-enough-we-can-stretch-our-souls-everywhere-and/) [George Sarton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-sarton/) > [The main, as well as the least obvious, achievement of the Middle Ages was the creation of the experimental spirit and this was primarily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-sarton/the-main-as-well-as-the-least-obvious-achievement-of-the-middle-ages/) [George Sarton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-sarton/) > [On the basis of my historical experience, I fully believe that mathematics of the 25th century will be as different from that of today…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-sarton/on-the-basis-of-my-historical-experience-i-fully-believe-that/) [George Sarton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-sarton/) > [It is childish to assume that science began in Greece; the Greek "miracle" was prepared by millenia of work in Egypt, Mesopotamia and possibly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-sarton/it-is-childish-to-assume-that-science-began-in-greece-the-greek/) [George Sarton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-sarton/) > [In ancient times there was no public education, except that of the forum, the theater, and the street, and the general degree of illiteracy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-sarton/in-ancient-times-there-was-no-public-education-except-that-of-the/) [George Sarton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-sarton/) > [The whole past and the whole world are alive in my heart, and I shall do my part to communicate their presence to my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-sarton/the-whole-past-and-the-whole-world-are-alive-in-my-heart-and-i-shall/) [George Sarton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-sarton/) > [Wisdom is not mathematical, nor astronomical, nor zoological; when it talks too much of any one thing it ceases to be itself. There are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-sarton/wisdom-is-not-mathematical-nor-astronomical-nor-zoological-when-it/) [George Sarton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-sarton/) [Explore all 36 George Sarton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-sarton/) ## More Goal quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [The goal of spiritual practice is full recovery, and the only thing you need to recover from is a fractured sense of self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/the-goal-of-spiritual-practice-is-full-recovery-and-the-only-thing/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [According to the best research, less than 3% of Americans have written goals, and less than 1% review and rewrite their goals on a daily basis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/according-to-the-best-research-less-than-3-of-americans-have-written/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [When you have accomplished your goal simply walk away. This is the path way to Heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/when-you-have-accomplished-your-goal-simply-walk-away-this-is-the/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [“my role my goal my dream my life not yours -all mine”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emi-sisk/my-role-my-goal-my-dream-my-life-not-yours-all-mine/) Emi Sisk > [Eugenic goals are most likely to be attained under another name than eugenics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-osborn/eugenic-goals-are-most-likely-to-be-attained-under-another-name-than/) [Frederick Osborn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-osborn/) > [The Only cure for nihilism is for liberal democratic societies - their electorates, their judiciary, and their political leadership- to insist that force is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ignatieff/the-only-cure-for-nihilism-is-for-liberal-democratic-societies-their/) [Michael Ignatieff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ignatieff/) > [Everybody tries to score a great goal, and I am lucky I have netted a few.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zlatan-ibrahimovic/everybody-tries-to-score-a-great-goal-and-i-am-lucky-i-have-netted-a/) [Zlatan Ibrahimovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zlatan-ibrahimovic/) > [However, however, if the goal is to abandon America's free enterprise economy, if the goal is to convert America into a submissive member of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/however-however-if-the-goal-is-to-abandon-america-s-free-enterprise/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [If your only goal is to become rich, you will never achieve it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-rockefeller/if-your-only-goal-is-to-become-rich-you-will-never-achieve-it/) [John D. Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-rockefeller/) > [When you look around the room during meetings and practice, you see that everyone has the same goal. It's obvious by the way that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-kendricks/when-you-look-around-the-room-during-meetings-and-practice-you-see/) Eric Kendricks > [I like to wake up and just feel gratitude. Gratitude for waking up, for my health, for my kids, for my family. A lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-corcoran/i-like-to-wake-up-and-just-feel-gratitude-gratitude-for-waking-up-for/) [Barbara Corcoran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-corcoran/) > [“Dreams will come true as long as you give some effort towards your goal”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dayana/dreams-will-come-true-as-long-as-you-give-some-effort-towards-your/) Dayana > [“There are two kinds of people: goal-oriented and ego-oriented. Goal-oriented people work together and get things gone. Ego-oriented people don’t work.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charbel-tadros/there-are-two-kinds-of-people-goal-oriented-and-ego-oriented-goal/) [Charbel Tadros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charbel-tadros/) [Browse all 9,890 Goal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goal/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There are but few saints amongst scientists, as among other men, but truth itself is a goal comparable with sanctity.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "George Sarton" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-sarton/there-are-but-few-saints-amongst-scientists-as-among-other-men-but/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Goal" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-sarton/there-are-but-few-saints-amongst-scientists-as-among-other-men-but/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e28/george-sarton-17933_goal_there-are-but-few-saints-amongst-scienti_1523607.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e28/george-sarton-17933_goal_there-are-but-few-saints-amongst-scienti_1523607.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e28/george-sarton-17933_goal_there-are-but-few-saints-amongst-scienti_1523607.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There are but few saints amongst scientists, as among other men, but truth itself is a goal comparable with…” — George Sarton", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "George Sarton", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-sarton/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "There are but few saints amongst...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-sarton/there-are-but-few-saints-amongst-scientists-as-among-other-men-but/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-sarton/there-are-but-few-saints-amongst-scientists-as-among-other-men-but/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```