peter_hurford comments on Rationality Quotes March 2012 - Less Wrong

4 Post author: Thomas 03 March 2012 08:04AM

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Comment author: baiter 02 March 2012 12:52:37PM *  59 points [-]

"...I always rejoice to hear of your being still employ'd in experimental Researches into Nature, and of the Success you meet with. The rapid Progress true Science now makes, occasions my regretting sometimes that I was born so soon. It is impossible to imagine the Height to which may be carried, in a thousand years, the Power of Man over Matter. We may perhaps learn to deprive large Masses of their Gravity, and give them absolute Levity, for the sake of easy Transport. Agriculture may diminish its Labor and double its Produce; all Diseases may by sure means be prevented or cured, not excepting even that of Old Age, and our Lives lengthened at pleasure even beyond the antediluvian Standard. O that moral Science were in as fair a way of Improvement, that Men would cease to be Wolves to one another, and that human Beings would at length learn what they now improperly call Humanity!"

-- Benjamin Franklin, Letter to Joseph Priestley, 8 Feb 1780

Comment author: peter_hurford 06 March 2012 03:38:09AM *  2 points [-]

Benjamin Franklin sure knew how to use the caps. I miss the old days.

Comment author: Jayson_Virissimo 06 March 2012 03:47:45PM 1 point [-]

The Germans of his day put him to shame.

Comment author: Eugine_Nier 07 March 2012 05:13:52AM 0 points [-]

In fact they still do.