Stephen Jay Gould

The human brain is an amazing organ. It starts working the moment you are born and doesn't stop until you stand up to speak in public.

I am a strong believer in the power of the anecdote, especially when it supports my own prejudices.

The only thing more dangerous than ignorance is arrogance.

Evolution is a theory, not a fact. But then, so is gravity, and I don't see anyone jumping out of windows.

If you want to understand the world, you have to understand the history of the world.

The world is a complex place, and we are often too simple to understand it.

I have often been accused of being a 'lumper' rather than a 'splitter,' and I confess to the charge.

We are not the pinnacle of creation, but a tiny twig on a vast and ancient tree.

The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance.

I am not a creationist, but I am a strong believer in the power of a good story.

The most profound discoveries are often the simplest.

The human mind is a wonderful thing. It starts working the moment you are born and never stops until you stand up to speak in public.

The history of life is a tale of contingency, not inevitability.

The greatest obstacle to discovery is not ignorance, but the illusion of knowledge.

We are the product of a long series of lucky breaks.

The only thing that is constant is change.

Science is a way of trying not to fool yourself.

The world is full of wonders, and we are often too busy to notice them.

I have no patience with people who say that evolution is just a theory. So is gravity, and I don't see them floating off into space.

The most important lesson of evolution is that we are not special.