Charles Darwin viewed the fossil record more as an embarrassment than as an aid to his theory.

We are the offspring of history, and must establish our own paths in this most diverse and interesting of conceivable universes—one indifferent to our suffering, and therefore offering us maximum freedom to thrive, or to fail, in our own chosen way.

People may believe correct things for the damndest and weirdest of wrong reasons.

As we discern a fine line between crank and genius, so also (and unfortunately) we must acknowledge an equally graded trajectory from crank to demagogue. When people learn no tools of judgment and merely follow their hopes, the seeds of political manipulation are sown.

Nothing matches the holiness and fascination of accurate and intricate detail.

Always be suspicious of conclusions that reinforce uncritical hope and follow comforting traditions of Western thought.

Our searches for numerical order lead as often to terminal nuttiness as to profound insight.