To his dog, every man is Napoleon; hence the constant popularity of dogs.
Aldous HuxleyRead
All our science is just a cookery book, with an orthodox theory of cooking that nobody's allowed to question, and a list of recipes that mustn't be added to except by special permission from the head cook.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Huxley criticizes the limitations placed on scientific inquiry, suggesting that it resembles a rigid cookbook with unchangeable rules.
In this quote, Aldous Huxley draws a parallel between science and a cookery book, criticizing the rigid and dogmatic nature often associated with scientific theories. He suggests that just as a cookery book prescribes fixed recipes and discourages deviation, the scientific community may impose strict guidelines that inhibit creativity and innovation, ultimately questioning the very essence and evolution of scientific knowledge.
Themes
ScienceKnowledgeInquiryTheoryCreativity
In practice
Example use cases
In a lecture on the philosophy of science, this quote can be used to illustrate the importance of questioning established theories.
More from Aldous Huxley
All quotes →Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored.
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In the course of history many more people have died for their drink and their dope than have died for their religion or their country.
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On no account brood over your wrongdoing. Rolling in the muck is not the best way of getting clean.
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No man ever dared to manifest his boredom so insolently as does a Siamese tomcat when he yawns in the face of his amorously importunate wife.
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The leech's kiss, the squid's embrace, The prurient ape's defiling touch: And do you like the human race? No, not much.
Aldous HuxleyRead
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