"Nothing occurs contrary to nature except the impossible, and that never occurs."
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Quote collection
Galileo Galilei quotes (page 2 of 7)
133 quotes — follow a thought to its full quote page.
"You cannot teach a person something he does not already know, you can only bring what he does know to his awareness."
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"God is known by nature in his works, and by doctrine in his revealed word."
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"Who would dare assert that we know all there is to be known?"
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"In my studies of astronomy and philosophy I hold this opinion about the universe, that the Sun remains fixed in the centre of the circle of heavenly bodies, without changing its place; and the Earth, turning upon itself, moves round the Sun."
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"The greatest wisdom is to get to know oneself."
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"The vain presumption of understanding everything can have no other basis than never having understood anything. For anyone who had ever experienced just once the perfect understanding of one single thing, and had truly tasted how knowledge is accomplished, would recognize that of the infinity of other truths he understands nothing."
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"In questions of science, the authority of a thousand is not worth the humble reasoning of a single individual."
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"I wish, my dear Kepler, that we could have a good laugh together at the extraordinary stupidity of the mob. What do you think of the foremost philosophers of this University? In spite of my oft-repeated efforts and invitations, they have refused, with the obstinacy of a glutted adder, to look at the planets or the Moon or my glass [telescope]."
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"Measure what can be measured, and make measureable what cannot be measured."
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"The deeper I go in considering the vanities of popular reasoning, the lighter and more foolish I find them. What greater stupidity can be imagined than that of calling jewels, silver, and gold "precious," and earth and soil "base"?"
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"Measure what is measurable, and make measurable what is not so."
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"It seems to me that it was well said by Madama Serenissima, and insisted on by your reverence, that the Holy Scripture cannot err, and that the decrees therein contained are absolutely true and inviolable. But I should have in your place added that, though Scripture cannot err, its expounders and interpreters are liable to err in many ways; and one error in particular would be most grave and most frequent, if we always stopped short at the literal signification of the words."
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"In the long run my observations have convinced me that some men, reasoning preposterously, first establish some conclusion in their minds which, either because of its being their own or because of their having received it from some person who has their entire confidence, impresses them so deeply that one finds it impossible ever to get it out of their heads."
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"With regard to matters requiring thought: the less people know and understand about them, the more positively they attempt to argue concerning them."
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"Mathematics is the key and door to the sciences."
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"Surely, God could have caused birds to fly with their bones made of solid gold, with their veins full of quicksilver, with their flesh heavier than lead, and with their wings exceedingly small. He did not, and that ought to show something. It is only in order to shield your ignorance that you put the Lord at every turn to the refuge of a miracle."
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"Holy Scripture could never lie or err...its decrees are of absolute and inviolable truth."
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"The book of nature is written in the language of mathematics."
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"It is surely harmful to souls to make it a heresy to believe what is proved."
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