I love the wry motto of the Paleontological Society, meant both literally and figuratively, for hammers are the main tool of our trade: Frango ut patefaciam - I break in order to reveal. Stephen Jay Gould breakfigurativelyfrango Change image and share on social
I don't think academic writing ever was wonderful. However, science used to be much less specialized. Stephen Jay Gould academicsciencespecialize Change image and share on social
Science is an integral part of culture. It's not this foreign thing, done by an arcane priesthood. It's one of the glories of the human intellectual tradition. Stephen Jay Gould arcanecultureforeign Change image and share on social
The proof of evolution lies in those adaptations that arise from improbable foundations. Stephen Jay Gould adaptationariseevolution Change image and share on social
Contrary to current cynicism about past golden ages, the abstraction known as 'the intelligent layperson' does exist - in the form of millions of folks with a passionate commitment to continuous learning. Stephen Jay Gould abstractionagecommitment share on social
We are glorious accidents of an unpredictable process with no drive to complexity, not the expected results of evolutionary principles that yearn to produce a creature capable of understanding the mode of its own necessary construction. Stephen Jay Gould accidentcapablecomplexity share on social
All evolutionary biologists know that variation itself is nature's only irreducible essence... I had to place myself amidst the variation. Stephen Jay Gould amidstbiologistessence Change image and share on social
I dreamed of becoming a scientist, in general, and a paleontologist, in particular, ever since the Tyrannosaurus skeleton awed and scared me. Stephen Jay Gould awedreamgeneral Change image and share on social
I'm not a great deductive thinker, but I will admit to having competence in a very wide range of things - not being afraid to try to write about baseball, choral music and dinosaurs in the same week and see connections among them. Stephen Jay Gould admitafraidbaseball share on social
A lot of scientists hate writing. Most scientists love being in the lab and doing the work and when the work is done, they are finished. Stephen Jay Gould finishhatelab Change image and share on social
