--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I got a four year scholarship to Harvard…" description: "\"I got a four year scholarship to Harvard, and while I was there they wanted to groom me for work in the Star Wars program designing weapons ignited by ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/309/michio-kaku-907_biographies_i-got-a-four-year-scholarship-to-harvard_2318423.png" --- # I got a four year scholarship to Harvard, and while I was… ![“I got a four year scholarship to Harvard, and while I was there they wanted to groom me for work in the Star Wars program designing weapons ignited by hydrogen bombs. I didn't want to do that. I thought about how many scientists had died in World War II.” quote by Michio Kaku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/309/michio-kaku-907_biographies_i-got-a-four-year-scholarship-to-harvard_2318423.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/309/michio-kaku-907_biographies_i-got-a-four-year-scholarship-to-harvard_2318423.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/309/michio-kaku-907_biographies_i-got-a-four-year-scholarship-to-harvard_2318423.png) > “I got a four year scholarship to Harvard, and while I was there they wanted to groom me for work in the Star Wars program designing weapons ignited by hydrogen bombs. I didn't want to do that. I thought about how many scientists had died in World War II.” [Michio Kaku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michio-kaku/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker resisted a militaristic research path, fearing ethical implications and historical misuse of science. **In simple terms:** He chose not to work on harmful weapons. Key Takeaway Consider ethical impact of your work. Themes ethics career choices science history personal integrity Mood thoughtful reflective Type personal philosophical When to use this quote - career counseling - ethical review boards - historical education - personal reflection - alternative research paths Key Concepts Moral responsibility historical awareness career autonomy Questions to Reflect On - What values guide your career decisions? - How can institutions support ethical research? A Different Perspective Choosing a path may limit opportunities but preserves conscience. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bombs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bombs/) [Design](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/design/) [Hydrogen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hydrogen/) [Hydrogen bomb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hydrogen-bomb/) [Scholarship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scholarship/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Scientist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scientist/) [Scientists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scientists/) [Star wars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/star-wars/) [Stars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stars/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [War of the worlds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war-of-the-worlds/) [Weapons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weapons/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [World war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-war/) [World war ii](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-war-ii/) ## Related quotes > [A hydrogen bomb, for me, was puny compared to the Big Bang - the creation of the universe. That's what I really wanted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michio-kaku/a-hydrogen-bomb-for-me-was-puny-compared-to-the-big-bang-the-creation/) [Michio Kaku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michio-kaku/) > [When I arrived at Harvard, I wanted to design a course in political theory that would have interested me, back when I was started…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-sandel/when-i-arrived-at-harvard-i-wanted-to-design-a-course-in-political/) [Michael Sandel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-sandel/) > [It may be that ... when the advance of destructive weapons enables everyone to kill everybody else nobody will want to kill anyone at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/it-may-be-that-when-the-advance-of-destructive-weapons-enables/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [I propose getting rid of conventional armaments and replacing them with reasonably priced hydrogen bombs that will be distributed equally throughout the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idi-amin/i-propose-getting-rid-of-conventional-armaments-and-replacing-them/) [Idi Amin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idi-amin/) > [ There is a further advantage \[to hydrogen bombs\]: the supply of uranium in the planet is very limited, and it might be feared that… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/there-is-a-further-advantage-to-hydrogen-bombs-the-supply-of-uranium/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Teller contended, not implausibly, that hydrogen bombs keep the peace, or at least prevent thermonuclear war, because the consequences of warfare between nuclear powers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/teller-contended-not-implausibly-that-hydrogen-bombs-keep-the-peace/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [The president's decision yesterday to set into motion the development of the hydrogen bomb... has placed us on the knife-edge of history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-president-s-decision-yesterday-to-set-into-motion-the-development/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Had we not pursued the hydrogen bomb, there is a very real threat that we would now all be speaking Russian. I have no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-teller/had-we-not-pursued-the-hydrogen-bomb-there-is-a-very-real-threat-that/) [Edward Teller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-teller/) > [I happened to read recently a remark by the American nuclear physicist W. Davidson, who noted that the explosion of one hydrogen bomb releases…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikita-khrushchev/i-happened-to-read-recently-a-remark-by-the-american-nuclear/) [Nikita Khrushchev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikita-khrushchev/) > [Only the power of unbounded love practiced in regard to all human beings can defeat the forces of interhuman strife, and can prevent the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pitirim-sorokin/only-the-power-of-unbounded-love-practiced-in-regard-to-all-human/) [Pitirim Sorokin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pitirim-sorokin/) > [It is impossible, except for theologians, to conceive of a world-wide scandal or a universe-wide scandal; the proof of this is the way people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-mccarthy/it-is-impossible-except-for-theologians-to-conceive-of-a-world-wide/) [Mary McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-mccarthy/) > [Everything has changed except the way man thinks (when the hydrogen bomb was exploded)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/everything-has-changed-except-the-way-man-thinks-when-the-hydrogen/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I lose my temper, but it's all over in a minute," said the student. "So is the hydrogen bomb," I replied. "But think of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-sweeting/i-lose-my-temper-but-it-s-all-over-in-a-minute-said-the-student-so-is/) [George Sweeting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-sweeting/) > [I know that I could make this world peaceful and calm, if I only could get my hands on a hydrogen bomb.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-rundgren/i-know-that-i-could-make-this-world-peaceful-and-calm-if-i-only-could/) [Todd Rundgren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-rundgren/) > [The pace of science forces the pace of technique. Theoretical physics forces atomic energy on us; the successful production of the fission bomb forces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-pace-of-science-forces-the-pace-of-technique-theoretical-physics/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) ## More by Michio Kaku > [“My fundamental premise about the brain is that its workings—what we sometimes call “mind”—are a consequence of its anatomy and physiology, and nothing more.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michio-kaku/my-fundamental-premise-about-the-brain-is-that-its-workings-what-we/) [Michio Kaku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michio-kaku/) > [I have nothing against investment banking, but it's like massaging money rather than creating money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michio-kaku/i-have-nothing-against-investment-banking-but-it-s-like-massaging/) [Michio Kaku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michio-kaku/) > [I am a figure skater, which helps me appreciate Newton's theory of mechanics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michio-kaku/i-am-a-figure-skater-which-helps-me-appreciate-newton-s-theory-of/) [Michio Kaku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michio-kaku/) > [If space is a fabric, then of course fabrics can have ripples, which we have now seen directly. But fabrics can also rip. Then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michio-kaku/if-space-is-a-fabric-then-of-course-fabrics-can-have-ripples-which-we/) [Michio Kaku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michio-kaku/) > [The best theory comes from string theory, which states that dark matter is nothing but a higher vibration of the string. We are, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michio-kaku/the-best-theory-comes-from-string-theory-which-states-that-dark/) [Michio Kaku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michio-kaku/) > [The media, of course, loves to make claims about the fountain of youth. Don't believe it. No one has it. But we're getting close.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michio-kaku/the-media-of-course-loves-to-make-claims-about-the-fountain-of-youth/) [Michio Kaku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michio-kaku/) > [Consciousness-one level is understanding where we are in space. Consciousness two is where we understand our position in society: who's top dog, who's underdog…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michio-kaku/consciousness-one-level-is-understanding-where-we-are-in-space/) [Michio Kaku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michio-kaku/) > [It would take a civilization far more advanced than ours, unbelievably advanced, to begin to manipulate negative energy to create gateways to the past.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michio-kaku/it-would-take-a-civilization-far-more-advanced-than-ours-unbelievably/) [Michio Kaku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michio-kaku/) > [A human body can think thoughts, play a piano, kill germs, remove toxins, make a baby all at once. Once it's doing that your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michio-kaku/a-human-body-can-think-thoughts-play-a-piano-kill-germs-remove-toxins/) [Michio Kaku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michio-kaku/) > [“I’m as fond of my body as anyone, but if I can be 200 with a body of silicon, I’ll take it. —DANIEL HILL,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michio-kaku/i-m-as-fond-of-my-body-as-anyone-but-if-i-can-be-200-with-a-body-of/) [Michio Kaku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michio-kaku/) > [Science is about principles. It's about concepts. It's not about memorizing the parts of a flower. It helps to know some of these things,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michio-kaku/science-is-about-principles-it-s-about-concepts-it-s-not-about/) [Michio Kaku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michio-kaku/) > [A related aspect of intelligent consciousness is delay of gratification: the wisdom to accurately predict whether delay rather than acting on impulse will yield…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michio-kaku/a-related-aspect-of-intelligent-consciousness-is-delay-of/) [Michio Kaku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michio-kaku/) > [“There are an estimated 100 billion neurons residing inside the skull with an exponential amount of neural connections”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michio-kaku/there-are-an-estimated-100-billion-neurons-residing-inside-the-skull/) [Michio Kaku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michio-kaku/) > [“But on the question of whether the robots will eventually take over, he { Rodney A. Brooks } says that this will probably not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michio-kaku/but-on-the-question-of-whether-the-robots-will-eventually-take-over/) [Michio Kaku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michio-kaku/) > [The idea that excites me the most concerns the two greatest puzzles in science: the origin of the universe, and the origin of consciousness.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michio-kaku/the-idea-that-excites-me-the-most-concerns-the-two-greatest-puzzles/) [Michio Kaku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michio-kaku/) [Explore all 328 Michio Kaku quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michio-kaku/) ## More Biographies quotes > [Don't be afraid of hard work. Nothing worthwhile comes easily. Don't let others discourage you or tell you that you can't do it. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-b-elion/don-t-be-afraid-of-hard-work-nothing-worthwhile-comes-easily-don-t/) [Gertrude B. Elion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-b-elion/) > [The last act in the biography of the hero is that of the death or departure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-campbell/the-last-act-in-the-biography-of-the-hero-is-that-of-the-death-or/) [Joseph Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-campbell/) > [If I were entering adulthood now instead of in the environment of fifty years ago, I would choose a career that kept me in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lindbergh/if-i-were-entering-adulthood-now-instead-of-in-the-environment-of/) [Charles Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lindbergh/) > [I have my own biography of Gram Parsons - I don't want to be part of somebody else's.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmylou-harris/i-have-my-own-biography-of-gram-parsons-i-don-t-want-to-be-part-of/) [Emmylou Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmylou-harris/) > [Biographies of great, but especially of good men are most instructive and useful as helps, guides, and incentives to others. Some of the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/biographies-of-great-but-especially-of-good-men-are-most-instructive/) [Samuel Smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/) > [All Philosophy is Biography](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-j-carroll/all-philosophy-is-biography/) [Peter J. Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-j-carroll/) > [Life is a biography, not a series of disconnected moments, more or less pleasurable but increasingly tedious and unsatisfying unless one imposes a purposive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-dalrymple/life-is-a-biography-not-a-series-of-disconnected-moments-more-or-less/) [Theodore Dalrymple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-dalrymple/) > [I hope any poem I've ever written could stand on its own and not need to be a part of biography, critical theory or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-goldbarth/i-hope-any-poem-i-ve-ever-written-could-stand-on-its-own-and-not-need/) [Albert Goldbarth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-goldbarth/) > [The richly cadenced prose is hypnotic, the research prodigious, the analysis acute, the mood spellbinding, and the cast of characters mythic in scale. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-chernow/the-richly-cadenced-prose-is-hypnotic-the-research-prodigious-the/) [Ron Chernow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-chernow/) > [ I read so ravenously that I would read through whole categories. I was crazy about reading biographies. \[...\] I think biographies are very urgent… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-didion/i-read-so-ravenously-that-i-would-read-through-whole-categories-i-was/) [Joan Didion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-didion/) > [I don't want to say that most rock bands live these formulaic biography existences - but they kinda do. There's always a divorce. There's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-grohl/i-don-t-want-to-say-that-most-rock-bands-live-these-formulaic/) [Dave Grohl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-grohl/) > [Formerly Milton's Paradise Lost had been my chief favourite, and in my excursions during the voyage of the Beagle, when I could take only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-darwin/formerly-milton-s-paradise-lost-had-been-my-chief-favourite-and-in-my/) [Charles Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-darwin/) > [On the other hand, when I give it closer thought, I realize I'm not enough of a dictator to conduct an orchestra because it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eberhard-weber/on-the-other-hand-when-i-give-it-closer-thought-i-realize-i-m-not/) [Eberhard Weber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eberhard-weber/) > [It can be a long gap between the emergence of fully researched historical biographies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonia-fraser/it-can-be-a-long-gap-between-the-emergence-of-fully-researched/) [Antonia Fraser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonia-fraser/) > [Always live your life with your biography in mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marisha-pessl/always-live-your-life-with-your-biography-in-mind/) [Marisha Pessl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marisha-pessl/) Browse all 587 Biographies quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I got a four year scholarship to Harvard, and while I was there they wanted to groom me for work in the Star Wars program designing weapons ignited by hydrogen bombs. 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