God gave me the stubbornness of a mule and a fairly keen scent.
I am also convinced that one gains the purest joy from spirited things only when they are not tied in with earning one’s livelihood.
I have firmly decided to bite the dust with a minimum of medical assistance when my time comes, and up to then to sin to my wicked heart’s content.
Fear or stupidity has always been the basis of most human actions.
In one’s youth every person and every event appear to be unique. With age one becomes much more aware that similar events recur. Later on, one is less often delighted or surprised, but also less disappointed than in earlier years.
It is true that the grasping of truth is not possible without empirical basis. However, the deeper we penetrate and the more extensive and embracing our theories become the less empirical knowledge is needed to determine those theories.
But nature did not deem it her business to make the discovery of her laws easy for us.
Belief in an external world independent of the perceiving subject is the basis of all natural science.
I think we have to safeguard ourselves against people who are a menace to others, quite apart from what may have motivated their deeds.
I do not like to state an opinion on a matter unless I know the precise facts.
Truly novel inventions emerge only in one’s youth. Later one becomes ever more experienced, famous-and foolish.
The only way to escape the corruptible effect of praise is to go on working.
I very rarely think in words at all. A thought comes, and I may try to express in words afterwards.
We must recognize what in our accepted tradition is damaging to our fate and dignity-and shape our lives accordingly.
Most people stop looking when they find the proverbial needle in the haystack. I would continue looking to see if there were other needles.
Chess holds its master in its own bonds, shackling the mind and brain so that the inner freedom of the very strongest must suffer.
I have always disliked the fierce competitive spirit embodied in that highly intellectual game.
The enormous mental resilience, without which no Chess player can exist, was so much taken up by Chess that he could never free his mind of this game.
Nature shows us only the tail of the lion. But there is no doubt in my mind that the lion belongs with it even if he cannot reveal himself to the eye all at once because of his huge dimension.
The scientist finds his reward in what Henri Poincare calls the joy of comprehension, and not in the possibility of application to which any discovery may lead.