There are no surprising facts, only models that are surprised by facts; and if a model is surprised by the facts, it is no credit to that model.

Existential depression has always annoyed me; it is one of the world's most pointless forms of suffering.

When you are older, you will learn that the first and foremost thing which any ordinary person does is nothing.

- With respect, Professor McGonagall, I'm not quite sure you understand what I'm trying to do here. - With respect, Mr. Potter, I'm quite sure I don't. Unless - this is a guess, mind - you're trying to take over the world? - No! I mean yes - well, NO! - I think i should perhaps be alarmed that you have trouble answering the question.

Trying and getting hurt can't possibly be worse for you than being... stuck.

Part of the rationalist ethos is binding yourself emotionally to an absolutely lawful reductionistic universe - a universe containing no ontologically basic mental things such as souls or magic and pouring all your hope and all your care into that merely real universe and its possibilities, without disappointment.

Science has heroes, but no gods. The great Names are not our superiors, or even our rivals, they are passed milestones on our road; and the most important milestone is the hero yet to come.