A Scientist’s adversary is
Always and only the Unknown.²
A scientist must be absolutely like a Child:
If they see a thing, they must say they see it,
Whether it is what they thought they’d see or not—
See first, think later, then test, but See First—
Otherwise they’ll only ever see what they expect.³
Science is made up of mistakes, but they’re Useful Mistakes
Since they lead little by little to the Truth—⁴
Nothing’s wasted or failure—it’s all Data.⁵
We know enough Science to
Arrive at morning without undue surprise.⁶
Wondrous Creature! Mount where science guides,
Go, measure earth, weigh air, and state the tides—⁷
Victories of Mind are won for all humankind!⁸
What is now Proved was once only Imagin’d …⁹
We climb the hill of Science—
We view the landscape o’er:
Such transcendental prospect,
We ne’er beheld before—¹⁰
¹ Kurt Vonnegut, Cat’s Cradle
² Primo Levi tr. Raymond Rosenthal, Bacteria Roulette
³ Douglas Adams, So Long and Thanks for All the Fish
⁴ Jules Verne tr. Robert Baldick, Journey to the Center of the Earth
⁵ Adrienne Maree Brown, Emergent Strategy
⁶ Sidney Keys, The Anti-Symbolist
⁷ Alexander Pope, Epistle II
⁸ Ebenezer Elliott, War
⁹ William Blake, Proverbs of Hell
¹⁰ Emily Dickinson, Sic Transit Gloria Mundi