The principle of science, the definition, almost, is the following: The test of all knowledge is experiment. Experiment is the sole judge of scientific "truth." But what is the source of knowledge? Where do the laws that are to be tested come from? Experiment, itself, helps to produce these laws, in the sense that it gives us hints. But also needed is imagination to create from these hints the great generalizations--to guess at the wonderful, simple, but very strange patterns beneath them all, and then to experiment to check again whether we have made the right guess.
Richard P. FeynmanI learned a lot of different things from different schools. MIT is a very good placeโฆ. It has developed for itself a spirit, so that every member of the whole place thinks that itโs the most wonderful place in the worldโitโs the center, somehow, of scientific and technological development in the United States, if not the world โฆ and while you donโt get a good sense of proportion there, you do get an excellent sense of being with it and in it, and having motivation and desire to keep on
Richard P. FeynmanAnother of the qualities of science is that it teaches the value of rational thought, as well as the importance of freedom of thought; the positive results that come from doubting that all the lessons are true... Learn from science that you must doubt the experts. As a matter of fact, I can also define science another way: Science is the belief in the ignorance of experts.
Richard P. Feynman