If […] man created the devil, he has created him in his own image.
—Fyodor Dostoevsky, 1880
The devil is an optimist if he thinks he can make people meaner.
—Karl Kraus, 1976
The only thing that stops God from sending another flood is that the first one was useless.
—Nicolas Chamfort, 1771
Every man who at forty is not a misanthrope, has never liked mankind.
—Nicolas Chamfort, 1780
The surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that none of it has
tried to contact us.
—Bill Watterson, 1989
4
The only thing that scares me more than space aliens is the idea that there aren’t any space
aliens. We can’t be the best that creation has to offer. I pray we’re not all there is. If so,
we’re in big trouble.
—Ellen DeGeneres
5
***
Science has made us gods even before we are worthy of being men.
—Jean Rostand, 1939
The world has achieved brilliance without conscience. Ours in the world of nuclear giants
and ethical infants.
—Omar Bradley, 1948
6
Our scientific power has outrun our spiritual power. We have guided missiles and misguided men.
—Martin Luther King Jr., 1963
Modern Man is the victim of the very instruments he values most. Every gain in power,
every mastery of natural forces, every scientific addition to knowledge, has proved
potentially dangerous, because it has not been accompanied by equal gains in
self-understanding and self-discipline.
—Lewis Mumford, 1944
Here we stand in the middle of this new world with our primitive brain, attuned to the
simple cave life, with terrific forces at our disposal, which we are clever enough to release,
but whose consequences we cannot comprehend.
—Albert Szent-Györgyi, 1962
***
4
Sometimes misattributed to Arthur C. Clarke.
5
Quoted, without a date, in several collections, starting at least from 2000.
6
Yes Virginia, that very military general!
On Human Condition
141
—Fyodor Dostoevsky, 1880
The devil is an optimist if he thinks he can make people meaner.
—Karl Kraus, 1976
The only thing that stops God from sending another flood is that the first one was useless.
—Nicolas Chamfort, 1771
Every man who at forty is not a misanthrope, has never liked mankind.
—Nicolas Chamfort, 1780
The surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that none of it has
tried to contact us.
—Bill Watterson, 1989
4
The only thing that scares me more than space aliens is the idea that there aren’t any space
aliens. We can’t be the best that creation has to offer. I pray we’re not all there is. If so,
we’re in big trouble.
—Ellen DeGeneres
5
***
Science has made us gods even before we are worthy of being men.
—Jean Rostand, 1939
The world has achieved brilliance without conscience. Ours in the world of nuclear giants
and ethical infants.
—Omar Bradley, 1948
6
Our scientific power has outrun our spiritual power. We have guided missiles and misguided men.
—Martin Luther King Jr., 1963
Modern Man is the victim of the very instruments he values most. Every gain in power,
every mastery of natural forces, every scientific addition to knowledge, has proved
potentially dangerous, because it has not been accompanied by equal gains in
self-understanding and self-discipline.
—Lewis Mumford, 1944
Here we stand in the middle of this new world with our primitive brain, attuned to the
simple cave life, with terrific forces at our disposal, which we are clever enough to release,
but whose consequences we cannot comprehend.
—Albert Szent-Györgyi, 1962
***
4
Sometimes misattributed to Arthur C. Clarke.
5
Quoted, without a date, in several collections, starting at least from 2000.
6
Yes Virginia, that very military general!
On Human Condition
141