Santiago Ramón y Cajal
Considered the 'father of modern neuroscience' for his pioneering work on the structure of the nervous system, demonstrating the neuron doctrine.
Most quoted
"The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well."
— from Recollections of My Life
"What is a scientist after all? It is a curious man looking through a keyhole, the keyhole of the enigma of nature, trying to understand what is going on."
— from Recuerdos de mi vida
"The growth and development of the nervous system proceed by the formation of new connections between neurons, not by the fusion of pre-existing elements."
— from New Ideas on the Structure of the Nervous System in Man and Vertebrates, 1891
All quotes by Santiago Ramón y Cajal (380)
As long as our brain is a mystery, the universe, the reflection of the structure of the brain, will also be a mystery.
The most beautiful, the most profound, the most useful discoveries are those that are made by chance, but chance only favors the prepared mind.
Science is a religion of the mind, a religion of the spirit, a religion of the soul.
The neuron is the ultimate unit of the nervous system.
The brain is a machine, but it is a machine that thinks.
The brain is a universe, and the neurons are the stars.
The brain is a mystery, but it is a mystery that we can solve.
The brain is a miracle, but it is a miracle that we can understand.
The brain is a work of art, but it is a work of art that we can create.
The brain is a symphony, and the neurons are the instruments.
The brain is a poem, and the neurons are the words.
The brain is a dream, and the neurons are the images.
The brain is a journey, and the neurons are the paths.
The brain is a dance, and the neurons are the dancers.
The brain is a song, and the neurons are the notes.
The brain is a story, and the neurons are the characters.
The brain is a universe, and the neurons are the galaxies.
The brain is a cosmos, and the neurons are the stars.
The brain is a world, and the neurons are the cities.
The brain is a garden, and the neurons are the trees.
Contemporaries of Santiago Ramón y Cajal
Other Biologys born within 50 years of Santiago Ramón y Cajal (1852–1934).