Some of mankind's most terrible misdeeds have been committed under the spell of certain magic words or phrases.
Interpretation
Certain powerful words or phrases can lead to significant negative actions by individuals or societies.
James Bryant Conant's quote highlights the dangerous potential of language and rhetoric, suggesting that some of humanity's worst actions have been influenced or spurred on by persuasive words. This insight underlines the importance of being mindful of the language we use and the significant impact it can have on our behavior and decisions, both individually and collectively.
In practice
During a speech about the consequences of war, I might use this quote to emphasize the power of persuasive language in leading to conflict.
I venture to define science as a series of interconnected concepts and conceptual schemes arising from experiment and observation and fruitful of further experiments and observations. The test of a scientific theory is, I suggest, its fruitfulness.
A conceptual scheme is never discarded merely because of a few stubborn facts with which it cannot be reconciled; a conceptual scheme is either modified or replaced by a better one, never abandoned with nothing left to take its place.
In every section of the entire area where the word science may properly be applied, the limiting factor is a human one. We shall have rapid or slow advance in this direction or in that depending on the number of really first-class men who are engaged in the work in question. ... So in the last analysis, the future of science in this country will be determined by our basic educational policy.
Next to a lost battle, nothing is so sad as a battle that has been won.
There is object proof that homosexuality is more interesting than heterosexuality. It's that one knows a considerable number of heterosexuals who would wish to become homosexuals, whereas one knows very few homosexuals who would really like to become heterosexuals.
When feminism falls short of our expectations, we decide the problem is with feminism rather than with the flawed people who act in the name of the movement.
The only power deserving the name is that of masses, and of governments while they make themselves the organ of the tendencies and instincts of masses.
There is nothing alive more agonized than man / of all that breathe and crawl across the earth.
Freedom is indivisible. Whites can't enjoy their separate freedoms. They spend too much time and resources defending those freedoms instead of enjoying them.
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