09 MAY 2012 by ideonexus

 The Life of a Horticulturist

I have always liked horticulturists, people who make their living from orchards and gardens, whose hands are familiar with the feel of the bark, whose eyes are trained to distinguish the different varieties, who have a form memory. Their brains are not forever dealing with vague abstractions; they are satisfied with the romance which the seasons bring with them, and have the patience and fortitude to gamble their lives and fortunes in an industry which requires infinite patience, which raise ...
Folksonomies: botany horticulture
Folksonomies: botany horticulture
   notes

A wonderful quote from David Fairchild. Reference unknown.

25 JUL 2011 by ideonexus

 Gains and Loses in Man's Empirical View

I may hand over to men their fortunes, now their understanding is emancipated and come as it were of age; whence there cannot but follow an improvement in man's estate and an enlargement of his power over nature. For man by the fall fell at the same time from his state of innocency and from his dominion over creation. Both of these losses however can even in this life be in some part repaired; the former by religion and faith, the latter by arts and sciences. For creation was not by the curse...
Folksonomies: nature empiricism
Folksonomies: nature empiricism
  1  notes

Man loses his innocence and dominion over creation, but gains in his estate and power over nature.

25 JUL 2011 by ideonexus

 Most Scientists are Not on the True Scientific Path

Now the true and lawful goal of the sciences is none other than this: that human life be endowed with new discoveries and powers. But of this the great majority have no feeling, but are merely hireling and professorial; except when it occasionally happens that some workman of acuter wit and covetous of honor applies himself to a new invention, which he mostly does at the expense of his fortunes. But in general, so far are men from proposing to themselves to augment the mass of arts and scienc...
  1  notes

According to Bacon, the goal of science is to endow humanity with new discoveries and powers, but most scientists are focused on personal gain.