A scientist is as weak and human as any man, but the pursuit of science may ennoble him even against his will.

Society is much more easily soothed than one's own conscience.

When asked for advice by beginners. Know your ending, I say, or the river of your story may finally sink into the desert sands and never reach the sea.

Science can amuse and fascinate us all, but it is engineering that changes the world.

There is no merit to discipline under ideal circumstances. I must have it in the face of death or it is worthless.

Now any dogma, based primarily on faith and emotionalism, is a dangerous weapon to use on others, since it is almost impossible to guarantee that the weapon will never be turned on the user.

When I sit down at the typewriter, I write. Someone once asked me if I had a fixed routine before I start, like setting up exercises, sharpening pencils, or having a drink of orange juice. I said, "No, the only thing I do before I start writing is to make sure that I'm close enough to the typewriter to reach the keys."