We know that once we stop learning and call ourselves learned, we become useless members of the scientific society.
Interpretation
Continuous learning is essential to remain valuable in society.
This quote by Christian De Duve emphasizes the importance of lifelong learning. It suggests that when individuals cease to pursue knowledge and consider themselves fully 'learned,' they risk becoming obsolete and unproductive members of a community, especially in the fast-evolving field of science. The pursuit of knowledge is portrayed as a vital aspect of contributing to society and staying relevant.
In practice
In a speech about the importance of education, one could quote this to highlight the need for continuous learning.
If you equate the probability of the birth of a bacteria cell to chance assembly of its atoms, eternity will not suffice to produce one Faced with the enormous sum of lucky draws behind the success of the evolutionary game, one may legitimately wonder to what extent this success is actually written into the fabric of the universe.
I can never tell ahead of time which book will give me trouble - some balk every step of the way, others seem to write themselves - but certainly the mechanics of writing, finding the time and the psychic space, are easier now that my children are grown.
I have often thought of it as one of the most barbarous customs in the world, considering us as a civilized and a Christian country, that we deny the advantages of learning to women.
From now on I hope always to educate myself as best I can. But lacking this, in future I will relaxedly turn back to my secret mind to see what it has observed when I thought I was sitting this one out. We never sit anything out.
Universities are of course hostile to geniuses, which, seeing and using ways of their own, discredit the routine: as churches and monasteries persecute youthful saints.
Doing real world projects is, I think, the best way to learn and also to engage the world and find out what the world is all about.
The more important argument against grade curves is that they create an atmosphere that's toxic by pitting students against one another. At best, it creates a hypercompetitive culture, and at worst, it sends students the message that the world is a zero-sum game: Your success means my failure.
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