After Bruno's death, during the first half of the seventeenth century, Descartes seemed about to take the leadership … - Andrew Dickson White

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If you don't know something, admit it. But, try to impress them with what you do know.

Andrew Dickson White

After Bruno's death, during the first half of the seventeenth century, Descartes seemed about to take the leadership of human thought. . . in promoting an evolution doctrine as regards the mechanical formation of the solar system. . . but his constant dread of persecution, both from Catholics and Protestants, led him steadily to veil his thoughts and even to suppress them. . . . Since Roger Bacon, perhaps, no great thinker had been so completely abased and thwarted by theological oppression.

Catholic, Evolution, Firsts, Led, Roger, Thoughts

Same Author Quotes

In all modern history, interference with science in the supposed interest of religion, no matter how conscientious such interference may have been, has resulted in the direst evils both to religion and to science, and invariably; and, on the other hand, all untrammelled scientific investigation, no matter how dangerous to religion some of its stages may have seemed for the time to be, has invariably resulted in the highest good both of religion and of science.

Dangerous, Evil, Hands, May, Stages, Time

Just as the line of astronomical thinkers from Copernicus to Newton had destroyed the old astronomy, in which the earth was the center, and the Almighty sitting above the firmament the agent in moving the heavenly bodies about it with his own hands, so now a race of biological thinkers had destroyed the old idea of a Creator minutely contriving and fashioning all animals to suit the needs and purposes of man.

Animal, Contriving, Copernicus, Man, Men, Moving

The inquiry into Nature having thus been pursued nearly two thousand years theologically, we find by the middle of the sixteenth century some promising beginnings of a different method the method of inquiry into Nature scientifically the method which seeks not plausibilities but facts.

Century, Different, Nearly, Theologically, Two, Years

The establishment of Christianity. . . arrested the normal development of the physical sciences for over fifteen hundred years.

Development, Fifteen, Physical, Religion, Years

My early years abroad were spent mainly upon the European Continent, and public duties since have led me to make prolonged stays in various Continental states France, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, Russia where the study of Continental statesmen has been almost forced upon me.

Continent, Duties, Germany, Russia, States, Years