Cities in Flight

the social and economic rewards for such scientific activities do not primarily accrue to the scientist or to the intellectual. Still, that has perhaps been his own moral speciation, a choice of one properly humane activity: to have knowledge of things, not to have things. If he loves and has knowledge, all is well.

science-fiction stories by practicing scientists,

We often think that when we have completed our study of one we know all about two, because ‘two’ is ‘one and one.’ We forget that we have still to make a study of ‘and.’

I meant to say that the mathematician’s belief that there is some relationship between maths and the real world is a faith; it can’t be proven, but he feels it very strongly. For that matter, the totally irreligious man’s belief that there even is a real world, corresponding to what his senses show him, can’t be proven. John Doe and the most brilliant of physicists both have to take that on faith.”

“And they don’t conduct ceremonies symbolizing the belief,” Anne added, “and train specialists to reassure them of it every seven days.”

The thing had been conditioned against allowing itself to be broken.

The thing had been conditioned against allowing itself to be broken

How can you apply scientific method to a problem when you’re forbidden to see the data?

We do not believe any group of men adequate enough or wise enough to operate without scrutiny or without criticism. We know that the only way to avoid error is to detect it, that the only way to detect it is to be free to inquire. We know that in secrecy error undetected will flourish and subvert.

—J. ROBERT OPPENHEIMER