The Quotes canon

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The universe3 quotes
What is it that breathes fire into the equations and makes a universe for them to describe?...Why does the universe go to all the bother of existing? — Stephen Hawking · 1988Now, my own suspicion is that the universe is not only queerer than we suppose, but queerer than we can suppose... I suspect that there are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamed of, or can be dreamed of, in any philosophy. — J.B.S. Haldane · 1927If we find the answer to that, it would be the ultimate triumph of human reason-for then we would know the mind of God. — Stephen Hawking · 1988
Life can be wonderful as well as terrible, and we shall increasingly have the power to make life good. Since human history may be only just beginning, we can expect that future humans, or supra-humans, may achieve some great goods that we cannot now even imagine. In Nietzsche’s words, there has never been such a new dawn and clear horizon, and such an open sea. — Derek Parfit · 2017The part of our moral theory... That covers how we affect future generations... Is the most important part of our moral theory, since the next few centuries will be the most important in human history. — Derek Parfit · 1984
Moral theory2 quotes
On all plausible theories, everyone’s well-being consists at least in part in being happy, and avoiding suffering. — Derek Parfit · 2011The part of our moral theory... That covers how we affect future generations... Is the most important part of our moral theory, since the next few centuries will be the most important in human history. — Derek Parfit · 1984
What is it that breathes fire into the equations and makes a universe for them to describe?...Why does the universe go to all the bother of existing? — Stephen Hawking · 1988If we find the answer to that, it would be the ultimate triumph of human reason-for then we would know the mind of God. — Stephen Hawking · 1988
Angels1 quote
Whether a Million of Angels may not sit upon a needle's point? — William Chillingworth · 1637
Dreamers1 quote
All men dream, but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity; but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dream with open eyes, to make it possible. This I did. — T.E. Lawrence · 1926
What is it that breathes fire into the equations and makes a universe for them to describe?...Why does the universe go to all the bother of existing? — Stephen Hawking · 1988
In a world ordered by sexual imbalance, pleasure in looking has been split between active/male and passive/female. The determining male gaze projects its fantasy onto the female figure, which is styled accordingly. — Laura Mulvey · 1975
The Creator, if He exists, has a special preference for beetles. — J.B.S. Haldane · 1951
All men dream, but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity; but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dream with open eyes, to make it possible. This I did. — T.E. Lawrence · 1926
Happiness1 quote
On all plausible theories, everyone’s well-being consists at least in part in being happy, and avoiding suffering. — Derek Parfit · 2011
What is it that breathes fire into the equations and makes a universe for them to describe?...Why does the universe go to all the bother of existing? — Stephen Hawking · 1988
Music1 quote
In many a piece of music, it's the pause or the rest that gives the piece its beauty and its shape. — Pico Iyer · 2014
The Creator, if He exists, has a special preference for beetles. — J.B.S. Haldane · 1951
Life can be wonderful as well as terrible, and we shall increasingly have the power to make life good. Since human history may be only just beginning, we can expect that future humans, or supra-humans, may achieve some great goods that we cannot now even imagine. In Nietzsche’s words, there has never been such a new dawn and clear horizon, and such an open sea. — Derek Parfit · 2017
Now, my own suspicion is that the universe is not only queerer than we suppose, but queerer than we can suppose... I suspect that there are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamed of, or can be dreamed of, in any philosophy. — J.B.S. Haldane · 1927
In a world ordered by sexual imbalance, pleasure in looking has been split between active/male and passive/female. The determining male gaze projects its fantasy onto the female figure, which is styled accordingly. — Laura Mulvey · 1975
Order1 quote
What the detective story is about is not murder but the restoration of order. — P.D. James · 1986
We are paternalists when we make someone act in his own interests. — Derek Parfit · 1984
Patriarchy1 quote
In a world ordered by sexual imbalance, pleasure in looking has been split between active/male and passive/female. The determining male gaze projects its fantasy onto the female figure, which is styled accordingly. — Laura Mulvey · 1975
In an age of distraction, nothing can feel more luxurious than paying attention. — Pico Iyer · 2014
Physics1 quote
If we find the answer to that, it would be the ultimate triumph of human reason-for then we would know the mind of God. — Stephen Hawking · 1988
Progress1 quote
Life can be wonderful as well as terrible, and we shall increasingly have the power to make life good. Since human history may be only just beginning, we can expect that future humans, or supra-humans, may achieve some great goods that we cannot now even imagine. In Nietzsche’s words, there has never been such a new dawn and clear horizon, and such an open sea. — Derek Parfit · 2017
Whether a Million of Angels may not sit upon a needle's point? — William Chillingworth · 1637
Science1 quote
In effect, we have redefined the task of science to be the discovery of laws that will enable us to predict events up to the limits set by the uncertainty principle. — Stephen Hawking · 1988
Suffering1 quote
On all plausible theories, everyone’s well-being consists at least in part in being happy, and avoiding suffering. — Derek Parfit · 2011
The future1 quote
The part of our moral theory... That covers how we affect future generations... Is the most important part of our moral theory, since the next few centuries will be the most important in human history. — Derek Parfit · 1984
The best evidence we have that time travel is not possible, and never will be, is that we have not been invaded by hordes of tourists from the future. — Stephen Hawking · 1991
In a world ordered by sexual imbalance, pleasure in looking has been split between active/male and passive/female. The determining male gaze projects its fantasy onto the female figure, which is styled accordingly. — Laura Mulvey · 1975