J.B.S. Haldane Quotes & Sayings

It took man 250,000 years to transcend the hunting pack. It will not take him so long to transcend the nation. — J.B.S. Haldane

To light a lamp as a source of light is about as wasteful of energy as to burn down ones house to roast one's pork. — J.B.S. Haldane

The four stages of acceptance:
1. This is worthless nonsense.
2. This is an interesting, but perverse, point of view.
3. This is true, but quite unimportant.
4. I always said so."

(Review of The Truth About Death, in: Journal of Genetics 1963, Vol. 58, p.464) — J.B.S. Haldane

Man's habits change more rapidly than his instincts. — J.B.S. Haldane

My practice as a scientist is atheistic. That is to say, when I set up an experiment I assume that no god, angel or devil is going to interfere with its course; and this assumption has been justified by such success as I have achieved in my professional career. I should therefore be intellectually dishonest if I were not also atheistic in the affairs of the world. — J.B.S. Haldane

We can fortell little of the future save that the thing that has not been is the thing that shall be. — J.B.S. Haldane