All my life I have placed great store in civility and good manners, practices I find scarce among the often hard-edged, badly socialized scientists with whom I associate. Tone of voice means a great deal to me in the course of debate. I despise the arrogance and doting self-regard so frequently found among the very bright.

Political ideology can corrupt the mind, and science.

Without a trace of irony I can say I have been blessed with brilliant enemies. I owe them a great debt, because they redoubled my energies and drove me in new directions.

Human beings function better if they are deceived by their genes into thinking that there is a disinterested objective morality binding upon them, which all should obey.

Religious belief itself is an adaptation that has evolved because we're hard-wired to form tribalistic religions.

What we need is an electronic encyclopedia of life, with one page for each species. On each page is given everything known about that species.

A society that condemns homosexuality harms itself. (254)