#progress

What was the point of scientific advance without moral advance? The railway would merely permit more people to move about, meet and be stupid together ↗

— Julian Barnes

#progress #science #stupidity #science

If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses. ↗

— Henry Ford

#progress

Hello, Professor McGonagall,” said Moody calmly, bouncing the ferret still higher. “What — what are you doing?” said Professor McGonagall, her eyes following the bouncing ferret’s progress through the air. “Teaching,” said Moody. “Teach — Moody, is that a student?” shrieked Professor McGonagall, the books spilling out of her arms. “Yep,” said Moody. “Moody, we never use Transfiguration as a punishment!” said Professor McGonagall weakly. ↗

— J.K. Rowling

#goblet-of-fire #harry-potter #j-k-rowling #mcgonagall #moody

Right. As opposed to your cradle-robbing mentor. I don't really see you making much progress with him. ↗

— Richelle Mead

#progress

Oh, if only it were possible to find understanding,” Joseph exclaimed. “If only there were a dogma to believe in. Everything is contradictory, everything tangential; there are no certainties anywhere. Everything can be interpreted one way and then again interpreted in the opposite sense. The whole of world history can be explained as development and progress and can also be seen as nothing but decadence and meaninglessness. Isn’t there any truth? Is there no real and valid doctrine?” The master had never heard him speak so fervently. He walked on in silence for a little, then said: “There is truth, my boy. But the doctrine you desire, absolute, perfect dogma that alone provides wisdom, does not exist. Nor should you long for a perfect doctrine, my friend. Rather, you should long for the perfection of yourself. The deity is within you, not in ideas and books. Truth is lived, not taught. Be prepared for conflicts, Joseph Knecht - I can see that they already have begun. ↗

— Hermann Hesse

#dogma #game #glass #philosophy #truth

I feel that there has been progress made since I was a boy on matters of race, but we have a long way to go. ↗

— Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

#boy #feel #go #i #i feel

Few progressives would take issue with the argument that, significant accomplishments notwithstanding, the Obama presidency has been a big disappointment. ↗

— Eric Alterman

#argument #been #big #disappointment #few

The characteristic of scientific progress is our knowing that we did not know. ↗

— Gaston Bachelard

#did #know #knowing #our #progress

Our life is half natural and half technological. Half-and-half is good. You cannot deny that high-tech is progress. We need it for jobs. Yet if you make only high-tech, you make war. So we must have a strong human element to keep modesty and natural life. ↗

— Nam June Paik

#deny #element #good #half #high-tech

Life with a scientist who is often changing jobs and is frequently away at meetings and on lecture tours is not easy. Without a secure home base, I could not have made much progress. ↗

— John Pople

#base #changing #could #easy #frequently