Alexander Graham Bell

Engineering Scottish-American 1847 – 1922 310 quotes

Invented the telephone

Quotes by Alexander Graham Bell

The telephone is a device that will allow us to talk to the universe.

Grandiose early speculation (paraphrased) 1876

The telephone is a great invention, but it will never be able to transmit wisdom.

Attributed to a critic, a philosophical limitation. 1876

The telephone is a device that will allow us to talk to God.

Blasphemous early speculation (paraphrased) 1876

The telephone is a great invention, but it will never be able to transmit love.

Attributed to a critic, a romantic limitation. 1876

The telephone is a device that will allow us to talk to ourselves, but louder.

Self-deprecating humor (paraphrased) 1876

The telephone is a great invention, but it will never be able to transmit common sense.

Attributed to a critic, a cynical limitation. 1876

A man, as a general rule, owes very little to what he is born with—a man is what he makes of himself.

Unknown

The day will come when the man in the street will be able to talk to his friends at a distance without any wires at all.

Unknown

The only way to do great work is to love what you do.

Unknown

We are all too much inclined to follow in the ruts of tradition and custom.

Unknown

The telephone, in its present form, is a toy.

Statement to investors 1876

The deaf are not dumb.

Unknown

The only way to do great work is to be truly passionate about what you do.

Unknown

Man is an animal that lives in a world of symbols.

Unknown

The greatest discovery of my life was the discovery of the power of the human voice.

Unknown

The telephone will be a great benefit to mankind.

Letter to his father 1876

The most important thing is to never stop questioning.

Unknown

The true inventor is a man who looks around upon the world and is not contented with things as they are.

Unknown

The greatest minds are capable of the greatest vices as well as of the greatest virtues.

Unknown

The telephone is an instrument of the future.

Unknown