Skeptical Quotes
A scientist must (...) be absolutely like a child. If he sees a thing, he must say that he sees it, whether it was what he thought he was going to see or not. See first, think later, then test. But always see first. Otherwise you will only see what you were expecting.
Knowing how to think empowers you far beyond those who know only what to think.
I try to deny myself any illusions or delusions, and I think that this perhaps entitles me to try and deny the same to others, at least as long as they refuse to keep their fantasies to themselves.
Science is a philosophy of discovery. Intelligent design is a philosophy of ignorance.
Wanting to believe something is not any reason at all to believe it. If anything, it`s a reason to question it.
Smart people believe weird things because they are better at rationalizing their beliefs that they hold for non-smart reasons.
The more we know of the fixed laws of nature the more incredible do miracles become.
We are each entitled to our own opinion, but no one is entitled to his own facts.
In science it often happens that scientists say, "You know that`s a really good argument; my position is mistaken", and then they would actually change their minds and you never hear that old view from them again. They really do it. It doesn`t happen as often as it should, because scientists are human and change is sometimes painful. But it happens every day. I cannot recall the last time something like that happened in politics or religion.
Only a fool of a scientist would dismiss the evidence and reports in front of him and substitute his own beliefs in their place.
Anyone who believes that the laws of physics are mere social conventions is invited to try transgressing those conventions from the windows of my apartment. (I live on the twenty-first floor.)
Science is merely an extremely powerful method of winnowing what`s true from what feels good.