The Attempt To Make Heaven On Earth

Man, Some Modern Philosophers Tell Us, Is Alienated From His World: He Is A Stranger And Afraid In A World He Never Made. Perhaps He Is; Yet So Are Animals, And Even Plants. They Too Were Born, Long Ago, Into A Physico-chemical World, A World They Never Made.

Those Who Promise Us Paradise On Earth Never Produced Anything But A Hell.

Science Must Begin With Myths, And With The Criticism Of Myths.

The War Of Ideas Is A Greek Invention. It Is One Of The Most Important Inventions Ever Made. Indeed, The Possibility Of Fighting With With Words And Ideas Instead Of Fighting With Swords Is The Very Basis Of Our Civilization, And Especially Of All Its Legal And Parliamentary Institutions.

Every Intellectual Has A Very Special Responsibility. He Has The Privilege And The Opportunity Of Studying. In Return, He Owes It To His Fellow Men (or 'to Society') To Represent The Results Of His Study As Simply, Clearly And Modestly As He Can. The Worst Thing That Intellectuals Can Do - The Cardinal Sin - Is To Try To Set Themselves Up As Great Prophets Vis-à-vis Their Fellow Men And To Impress Them With Puzzling Philosophies. Anyone Who Cannot Speak Simply And Clearly Should Say Nothing And Continue To Work Until He Can Do So.