Science has a simple faith, which transcends utility... It is the faith that it is the privilege of man to learn to understand, and that this is his mission.
Vannevar BushRead
As long as scientists are free to pursue the truth wherever it may lead, there will be a flow of new scientific knowledge to those who can apply it to practical problems.
Interpretation
Scientific freedom leads to practical advancements and applications of knowledge.
This quote emphasizes the importance of scientific freedom in the pursuit of truth. It suggests that when scientists are allowed to explore and investigate without restrictions, they can generate new knowledge that can then be applied to solve real-world problems, ultimately benefiting society at large.
In practice
In a seminar discussing the role of science in society, this quote could illustrate the importance of academic freedom.
Science has a simple faith, which transcends utility... It is the faith that it is the privilege of man to learn to understand, and that this is his mission.
To pursue science is not to disparage the things of the spirit. In fact, to pursue science rightly is to furnish the framework on which the spirit may rise.
A record, if it is to be useful to science, must be continuously extended, it must be stored, and above all it must be consulted.
A belief may be larger than a fact.
Basic scientific research is scientific capital.
Fear cannot be banished, but it can be calm and without panic; it can be mitigated by reason and evaluation.
Science is essentially an anarchic enterprise: theoretical anarchism is more humanitarian and more likely to encourage progress than its law-and-order alternatives.
You see, proteins, as I probably needn't tell you, are immensely complicated groupings of amino acids and certain other specialized compounds, arranged in intricate three-dimensional patterns that are as unstable as sunbeams on a cloudy day. It is this instability that is life, since it is forever changing its position in an effort to maintain its identity--in the manner of a long rod balanced on an acrobat's nose.
Not to leave planet Earth would be like castaways on a desert island not trying to escape...Sending humans to other planets ... will shape the future of the human race in ways we don't yet understand, and may determine whether we have any future at all.
I really like science because it seems to be that place where you get the big picture, everything connects.
Life ... is a relationship between molecules.
As a scientist, objectivity is one of my most deeply held values. If we could just try harder, I once thought, surely we could each see the world as others see it and learn to respect one another's views more readily. But I learned from the Pirahas, our expectations, our culture, and our experiences can render even perceptions of the environment nearly incommensurable cross-culturally.
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