--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Science gives us a powerful vocabulary…" description: "\"Science gives us a powerful vocabulary, and it is impossible to produce a vocabulary with which one can only say nice things.\" — John Charles Polanyi" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ab/john-charles-polanyi-14475_giving_science-gives-us-a-powerful-vocabulary-a_1699585.png" --- # Science gives us a powerful vocabulary, and it is… ![“Science gives us a powerful vocabulary, and it is impossible to produce a vocabulary with which one can only say nice things.” quote by John Charles Polanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ab/john-charles-polanyi-14475_giving_science-gives-us-a-powerful-vocabulary-a_1699585.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ab/john-charles-polanyi-14475_giving_science-gives-us-a-powerful-vocabulary-a_1699585.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ab/john-charles-polanyi-14475_giving_science-gives-us-a-powerful-vocabulary-a_1699585.png) > “Science gives us a powerful vocabulary, and it is impossible to produce a vocabulary with which one can only say nice things.” [John Charles Polanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-charles-polanyi/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Highlights that scientific language is powerful and neutral, capable of describing both good and bad realities. **In simple terms:** Science words are neutral tools. Key Takeaway Use language responsibly in science. Themes knowledge responsibility ethics Mood thoughtful analytical Type lecture philosophical When to use this quote - research publications - policy reports - public discourse Key Concepts semantics science communication objectivity Questions to Reflect On - How can scientists ensure ethical use of terminology? - What safeguards exist for scientific communication? A Different Perspective Words can be weaponized if misused. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Vocabulary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vocabulary/) ## Related quotes > [“A powerful vocabulary correlates significantly with academic and professional success and offers a delightful expansion of your options for self-expression. Every time you discover…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-powerful-vocabulary-correlates-significantly-with-academic-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“As you can see, the words fair play are not in my vocabulary. Well, they are in my vocabulary, but only to say that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-seegert/as-you-can-see-the-words-fair-play-are-not-in-my-vocabulary-well-they/) Scott Seegert > [“Yes, you can be a dreamer and a doer too, if you will remove one word from your vocabulary : impossible.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-h-schuller/yes-you-can-be-a-dreamer-and-a-doer-too-if-you-will-remove-one-word/) [Robert H. Schuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-h-schuller/) > [Science never gives up searching for truth, since it never claims to have achieved it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-charles-polanyi/science-never-gives-up-searching-for-truth-since-it-never-claims-to/) [John Charles Polanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-charles-polanyi/) > [That which today calls itself science gives us more and more information, and indigestible glut of information, and less and less understanding.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/that-which-today-calls-itself-science-gives-us-more-and-more/) [Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/) > [I've always been on the side of science that tries to help man. I play an active part with the foundations I'm involved in.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-bocelli/i-ve-always-been-on-the-side-of-science-that-tries-to-help-man-i-play-2/) [Andrea Bocelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-bocelli/) > [Science merely amplifies the capabilities of human beings. Science gives us the ability to do ill and to do good more than we had,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-weinberg/science-merely-amplifies-the-capabilities-of-human-beings-science/) [Steven Weinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-weinberg/) > [Science gives you an understanding of the physical world, and it increases the capacity for fascination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reggie-watts/science-gives-you-an-understanding-of-the-physical-world-and-it/) [Reggie Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reggie-watts/) > [I've always been on the side of science that tries to help man. I play an active part with the foundations I'm involved in.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-bocelli/i-ve-always-been-on-the-side-of-science-that-tries-to-help-man-i-play/) [Andrea Bocelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-bocelli/) > [“Science gives man what he needs. But magic gives him what he wants.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/science-gives-man-what-he-needs-but-magic-gives-him-what-he-wants/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [“Science' always gives experienced Gnan (knowledge).”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/science-always-gives-experienced-gnan-knowledge/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [To will what God doth will, that is the only science that gives us any rest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-malherbe/to-will-what-god-doth-will-that-is-the-only-science-that-gives-us-any/) Francois de Malherbe > [“Science gives man ever greater powers but less significance. It gives him better tools with less purposes. It is silent on origins, values, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-durant/science-gives-man-ever-greater-powers-but-less-significance-it-gives/) [Will Durant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-durant/) > [Science, for me, gives a partial explanation for life. In so far as it goes, it is based on fact, experience and experiment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosalind-franklin/science-for-me-gives-a-partial-explanation-for-life-in-so-far-as-it/) [Rosalind Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosalind-franklin/) > [“Me and nice things didn't go well together.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-bracken/me-and-nice-things-didn-t-go-well-together/) [Alexandra Bracken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-bracken/) ## More by John Charles Polanyi > [The respect for human rights, essential if we are to use technology wisely, is not something alien that must be grafted onto science. On…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-charles-polanyi/the-respect-for-human-rights-essential-if-we-are-to-use-technology/) [John Charles Polanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-charles-polanyi/) > [In the late 1950s a major topic under discussion was whether Canada should acquire nuclear weapons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-charles-polanyi/in-the-late-1950s-a-major-topic-under-discussion-was-whether-canada/) [John Charles Polanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-charles-polanyi/) > [Though neglectful of their responsibility to protect science, scientists are increasingly aware of their responsibility to society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-charles-polanyi/though-neglectful-of-their-responsibility-to-protect-science/) [John Charles Polanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-charles-polanyi/) > [Some dreamers demand that scientists only discover things that can be used for good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-charles-polanyi/some-dreamers-demand-that-scientists-only-discover-things-that-can-be/) [John Charles Polanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-charles-polanyi/) > [ \[Intellectual courage is\] the quality that allows one to believe in one's judgement in the face of disappointment and widespread skepticism. Intellectual courage is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-charles-polanyi/intellectual-courage-is-the-quality-that-allows-one-to-believe-in-one/) [John Charles Polanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-charles-polanyi/) > [It takes a trained and discerning researcher to keep the goal in sight, and to detect evidence of the creeping progress toward it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-charles-polanyi/it-takes-a-trained-and-discerning-researcher-to-keep-the-goal-in/) [John Charles Polanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-charles-polanyi/) > [Individual scientists like myself - and many more conspicuous - pointed to the dangers of radioactive fallout over Canada if we were to launch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-charles-polanyi/individual-scientists-like-myself-and-many-more-conspicuous-pointed/) [John Charles Polanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-charles-polanyi/) > [At the heart of science lies discovery which involves a change in worldview. Discovery in science is possible only in societies which accord their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-charles-polanyi/at-the-heart-of-science-lies-discovery-which-involves-a-change-in/) [John Charles Polanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-charles-polanyi/) > [Science exists, moreover, only as a journey toward troth. Stifle dissent and you end that journey.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-charles-polanyi/science-exists-moreover-only-as-a-journey-toward-troth-stifle-dissent/) [John Charles Polanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-charles-polanyi/) > [Science never gives up searching for truth, since it never claims to have achieved it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-charles-polanyi/science-never-gives-up-searching-for-truth-since-it-never-claims-to/) [John Charles Polanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-charles-polanyi/) > [The applause is a celebration not only of the actors but also of the audience. It constitutes a shared moment of delight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-charles-polanyi/the-applause-is-a-celebration-not-only-of-the-actors-but-also-of-the/) [John Charles Polanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-charles-polanyi/) > [Nothing is more irredeemably irrelevant than bad science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-charles-polanyi/nothing-is-more-irredeemably-irrelevant-than-bad-science/) [John Charles Polanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-charles-polanyi/) > [If we treasure our own experience and regard it as real, we must also treasure other people's experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-charles-polanyi/if-we-treasure-our-own-experience-and-regard-it-as-real-we-must-also/) [John Charles Polanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-charles-polanyi/) > [What makes the Universal Declaration an epochal document is first of all its global impetus and secondly the breadth of its claims, a commitment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-charles-polanyi/what-makes-the-universal-declaration-an-epochal-document-is-first-of/) [John Charles Polanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-charles-polanyi/) > [Instead, in the absence of respect for human rights, science and its offspring technology have been used in this century as brutal instruments for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-charles-polanyi/instead-in-the-absence-of-respect-for-human-rights-science-and-its/) [John Charles Polanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-charles-polanyi/) [Explore all 46 John Charles Polanyi quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-charles-polanyi/) ## More Giving quotes > [Only within yourself exists the other reality for which you long. I can give you nothing that has not already its being within yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/only-within-yourself-exists-the-other-reality-for-which-you-long-i/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [The only people who think the Internet is a calamity are people whose lives have been hurt by it; the only people who insist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-klosterman/the-only-people-who-think-the-internet-is-a-calamity-are-people-whose/) [Chuck Klosterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-klosterman/) > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Crony capitalism is essentially a condition in which... public officials are giving favours to people in the private sector in payment of political favours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-greenspan/crony-capitalism-is-essentially-a-condition-in-which-public-officials/) [Alan Greenspan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-greenspan/) > [Some people give you that motivation to work harder simply to get the hell away from wherever they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dane-cook/some-people-give-you-that-motivation-to-work-harder-simply-to-get-the/) [Dane Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dane-cook/) > [You've touched people and known it. You've touched people and never may know it. Either way, you have something to give. It is in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-schlessinger/you-ve-touched-people-and-known-it-you-ve-touched-people-and-never/) [Laura Schlessinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-schlessinger/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I received a beautiful welcome to the world of music. I want to give something back to the younger generation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luciano-pavarotti/i-received-a-beautiful-welcome-to-the-world-of-music-i-want-to-give/) [Luciano Pavarotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luciano-pavarotti/) > [Eternal Trinity... mystery deep as the sea, You could give me no greater gift than the gift of Yourself. For You are a fire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-catherine-of-siena/eternal-trinity-mystery-deep-as-the-sea-you-could-give-me-no-greater/) [St. Catherine of Siena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-catherine-of-siena/) > [Faith gives you a certain structure and meaning to your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riffat-hassan/faith-gives-you-a-certain-structure-and-meaning-to-your-life/) Riffat Hassan > [Grandma, please. It’s okay. Dad’s doing a great job. I give him kudos for at least being calm and rational, and not losing his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/grandma-please-it-s-okay-dad-s-doing-a-great-job-i-give-him-kudos-for/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [Most paper money initially existed as a substitute for gold. That's what gave it value. But right now what gives a currency value is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schiff/most-paper-money-initially-existed-as-a-substitute-for-gold-that-s/) [Peter Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schiff/) > [Practically all animals which move fast in a homogeneous medium have found means of giving their body a streamlined shape, thereby reducing friction to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/konrad-lorenz/practically-all-animals-which-move-fast-in-a-homogeneous-medium-have/) [Konrad Lorenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/konrad-lorenz/) > [Give me strength to walk the soft earth, a relative to all that is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/black-elk/give-me-strength-to-walk-the-soft-earth-a-relative-to-all-that-is/) [Black Elk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/black-elk/) > [I don't think my relationship with the idea of womanhood is that attached to giving birth... like, I'm fully aware that I'll never give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-harrison/i-don-t-think-my-relationship-with-the-idea-of-womanhood-is-that/) [Patti Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-harrison/) [Browse all 39,303 Giving quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Science gives us a powerful vocabulary, and it is impossible to produce a vocabulary with which one can only say nice things.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Charles Polanyi" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-charles-polanyi/science-gives-us-a-powerful-vocabulary-and-it-is-impossible-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Giving" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-charles-polanyi/science-gives-us-a-powerful-vocabulary-and-it-is-impossible-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ab/john-charles-polanyi-14475_giving_science-gives-us-a-powerful-vocabulary-a_1699585.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ab/john-charles-polanyi-14475_giving_science-gives-us-a-powerful-vocabulary-a_1699585.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ab/john-charles-polanyi-14475_giving_science-gives-us-a-powerful-vocabulary-a_1699585.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Science gives us a powerful vocabulary, and it is impossible to produce a vocabulary with which one can only…” — John Charles Polanyi", "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": "John Charles Polanyi", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-charles-polanyi/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Science gives us a powerful vocabulary,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-charles-polanyi/science-gives-us-a-powerful-vocabulary-and-it-is-impossible-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-charles-polanyi/science-gives-us-a-powerful-vocabulary-and-it-is-impossible-to/#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 } } ] } ```