Every aspect of the world today - even politics and international relations - is affected by chemistry.
Linus PaulingRead
You have to have a lot of ideas. First, if you want to make discoveries, it's a good thing to have good ideas. And second, you have to have a sort of sixth sense-the result of judgment and experience-which ideas are worth following up. I seem to have the first thing, a lot of ideas, and I also seem to have good judgment as to which are the bad ideas that I should just ignore, and the good ones, that I'd better follow up.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Having numerous ideas is essential for discovery, but the ability to discern which ideas are valuable is even more important.
In this quote, Linus Pauling emphasizes the significance of both creativity and discernment in the process of innovation. He suggests that the act of generating ideas is just the beginning; it is crucial to possess the judgment and experience needed to differentiate between those ideas that have potential and those that do not. This balance between creativity and critical thinking is fundamental in making meaningful contributions to any field.
Themes
IdeasDiscoveryJudgmentCreativityInnovationExperience
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can inspire students to embrace their creativity while also honing their critical thinking skills.
More from Linus Pauling
All quotes →Although physicians, as part of their training, are taught that the dosage of a drug that is prescribed for the patient must be very carefully determined and controlled, they seem to have difficulty in remembering that the same principle applies to the vitamins.
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I like people. I like animals, too-whales and quail, dinosaurs and dodos. But I like human beings especially, and I am unhappy that the pool of human germ plasm, which determines the nature of the human race, is deteriorating.
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Just one living cell in the human body is, more complex than New York City.
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The way to get good ideas is to get lots of ideas and throw the bad ones away.
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By the proper intakes of vitamins and other nutrients and by following a few other healthful practices from youth or middle age on, you can, I believe, extend your life and years of well-being by twenty-five or even thirty-five years.
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