Thomas Huxley

Every great advance in natural knowledge has involved the absolute rejection of authority.

History warns us that it is the customary fate of new truths to begin as heresies and to end as superstitions.

I believe that history might be, and ought to be, taught in a new fashion so as to make the meaning of it as a process of evolution intelligible to the young.

I do not say think as I think, but think in my way. Fear no shadows, least of all in that great spectre of personal unhappiness which binds half the world to orthodoxy.

I take it that the good of mankind means the attainment, by every man, of all the happiness which he can enjoy without diminishing the happiness of his fellow men.

Irrationally held truths may be more harmful than reasoned errors.

It is not to be forgotten that what we call rational grounds for our beliefs are often extremely irrational attempts to justify our instincts.

It is not who is right, but what is right, that is of importance.

Learn what is true in order to do what is right.

My business is to teach my aspirations to confirm themselves to fact, not to try and make facts harmonize with my aspirations.