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Quotes of the Day for 5 November 2004 - J. B. S. Haldane

John Burdon Sanderson Haldane was born at Oxford, England on this day in 1892. He was educated at Eton and Oxford, but possibly most important is the fact that he assisted his scientist father in the lab from age eight. His primary work was in genetics, being the first to provide a mathematical basis for Mendelian genetics and for Darwin's evolution. He taught at Oxford, Cambridge, and the University of London. In 1957 he became disgusted with policies of the British government and moved to India where he spent the rest of his life. As scientists go, he was a pretty quotable chap.

Einstein - the greatest Jew since Jesus. I have no doubt that Einstein's name will still be remembered and revered when Lloyd George, Foch, and William Hohenzollern share with Charlie Chaplin that uneluctable oblivion which awaits the uncreative mind.

If one could conclude as to the nature of the Creator from a study of his creation it would appear that God has a special fondness for stars and beetles.

Now my own suspicion is that the Universe is not only queerer than we suppose, but queerer than we can suppose.

There are 400,000 species of beetles on this planet, but only 8,000 species of mammals.

I have come to the conclusion that my subjective account of my motivation is largely mythical on almost all occasions. I don't know why I do things.

While I do not suggest that humanity will ever be able to dispense with its martyrs, I cannot avoid the suspicion that with a little more thought and a little less belief their number may be substantially reduced.
     - All from J. B. S. Haldane, 1892 - 1964

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