[The aim of science is] to explain what so far has taken to be an explicans, such as a law of nature. The task of empirical science constantly renews itself. We may go on forever, proceeding to explanations of a higher and higher universality.

The survival value of intelligence is that it allows us to extinct a bad idea, before the idea extincts us.

Our aim as scientists is objective truth; more truth, more interesting truth, more intelligible truth. We cannot reasonably aim at certainty. Once we realize that human knowledge is fallible, we realize also that we can never be completely certain that we have not made a mistake.

All life is problem solving

Rationalism is an attitude of readiness to listen to contrary arguments and to learn from experience... of admitting that "I may be wrong and you may be right and, by an effort, we may get nearer the truth."

I have come to the conclusion that Darwinism is not a testable scientific theory, but a metaphysical research programme.

Piecemeal social engineering resembles physical engineering in regarding the ends as beyond the province of technology.