There is no plausible theory under which the record of the Pentagon Papers can be interpreted as relating to the national defense.
Noam ChomskyRead
Science, as everyone knows, is responsible, moderate, unsentimental, and otherwise good.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Science embodies objectivity and rationality in understanding the world.
In this quote, Noam Chomsky emphasizes the values of science, which include responsibility, moderation, and a lack of sentimentality. He suggests that these traits are essential for scientific inquiry, which allows for a clear and unbiased understanding of reality, and that such qualities contribute positively to society.
Themes
ScienceObjectivityRationalityInquiryTruth
In practice
Example use cases
During a public lecture on the importance of evidence-based decision making, one could use this quote to emphasize the attributes of science.
More from Noam Chomsky
All quotes βThe 'free-floating intellectual' may occupy himself with problems because of their inherent interest and importance, perhaps to little effect.
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If you're teaching today what you were teaching five years ago, either the field is dead or you are.
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There are very few people who are going to look into the mirror and say, 'That person I see is a savage monster;' instead, they make up some construction that justifies what they do.
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The Republican Party has become overwhelmingly so extreme that it's hardly a traditional political party anymore.
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There is still much debate about whether torture has been effective in eliciting information - the assumption being, apparently, that if it is effective, then it may be justified.
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There are an awful lot of scientists today who believe that before very long we shall have unraveled all the secrets of the universe. There will be no puzzles anymore. To me, it'd be really, really tragic because I think one of the most exciting things is this feeling of mystery, feeling of awe, the feeling of looking at a little live thing and being amazed by it and how it has emerged through these hundreds of years of evolution and there it is and it is perfect and why.
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Statistical science is indispensable to modern statesmanship. In legislation as in physical science it is beginning to be understood that we can control terrestrial forces only by obeying their laws. The legislator must formulate in his statutes not only the national will, but also those great laws of social life revealed by statistics.
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We must never make experiments to confirm our ideas, but simply to control them.
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