17 MAY 2012 by ideonexus

 Lighthouses are more helpful than churches.

The bell ringing for church, we went thither immediately, and with hearts full of gratitude, returned sincere thanks to God for the mercies we had received: were I a Roman Catholic, perhaps I should on this occasion vow to build a chapel to some saint, but as I am not, if I were to vow at all, it should be to build a light-house.
Folksonomies: science religion
Folksonomies: science religion
  1  notes

Benjamin Franklin relating he thoughts after avoiding being smashed on rocks in a vessel.

31 JAN 2012 by ideonexus

 We Should have a Saints Day for Penicillin

... we ought to have saints' days to commemorate the great discoveries which have been made for all mankind, and perhaps for all time—or for whatever time may be left to us. Nature ... is a prodigal of pain. I should like to find a day when we can take a holiday, a day of jubilation when we can fête good Saint Anaesthesia and chaste and pure Saint Antiseptic. ... I should be bound to celebrate, among others, Saint Penicillin...
Folksonomies: wonder medicine
Folksonomies: wonder medicine
  1  notes

A Quote from Winston Churchill on the need to celebrate medical discoveries that easy human suffering.

03 JAN 2011 by ideonexus

 Miracles Should be Investigated to Improve Upon Them

Now, it might be true that astrology is right. It might be true that if you go to the dentist on the day that Mars is at right angles to Venus, that it is better than if you go on a different day. It might be true that you can be cured by the miracle of Lourdes. But if it is true it ought to be investigated. Why? To improve it. If it is true then maybe we can find out if the stars do influence life; that we could make the system more powerful by investigating statistically, scientifically jud...
Folksonomies: science miracles skepticism
Folksonomies: science miracles skepticism
  1  notes

If there are miracles, then we should investigate them in order to figure out how to make them better, in order to figure out how to best take advantage of them.