Stephen Jay Gould

"Science illuminates nature but cannot tell us how to live."

"The diversity of life forms testifies to nature's creativity."

"Punctuality in evolutionary change suggests adaptive significance."

"Natural selection is neither kind nor cruel; it simply operates."

"The past is not merely prologue; it is integral to understanding the present."

"We must respect the integrity of nature while studying it."

"Each species represents a unique solution to the problem of living."

"The human mind evolved to solve problems relevant to survival, not to contemplate infinity."

"Nature's complexity arises from simple recursive rules."

"We are products of our evolutionary environment in ways we barely comprehend."

"The future of life depends on our choices, not on natural determinism."

"Science is a process of refinement, not a collection of unchanging truths."

"Extinction represents a permanent loss of evolutionary possibility."

"The unity of life suggests common ancestry."

"Our unique abilities emerged from evolutionary processes we share with all creatures."

"The fossil record teaches us that novelty emerges from existing structures."

"We are part of nature, not separate from it."

"Randomness at the molecular level produces order at the organismal level."

"The history of life is a story of triumphs and extinctions."

"Nature's solutions are not always apparent to human reason."

"We must be humble about the limits of our understanding."

"Evolution explains both similarity and difference among organisms."

"The past informs our understanding of the present and future."

"Life's diversity is nature's greatest achievement."

"Science progresses through the correction of previous errors."

"We are shaped by forces operating over millions of years."

"The complexity of even simple organisms astounds careful observers."

"Nature is not designed for human convenience."

"Understanding evolution is essential to understanding ourselves."

"The pattern of life's diversity reflects its evolutionary history."