Every great advance in natural knowledge has involved the absolute rejection of authority.

The improver of natural knowledge absolutely refuses to acknowledge authority, as such. For him, skepticism is the highest of duties; blind faith the one unpardonable sin.

Every great advance in natural knowledge has involved the absolute rejection of authority.

The ultimate court of appeal is observation and experiment... not authority.

Whenever there is authority, there is a natural inclination to disobedience.

The medieval university looked backwards; it professed to be a storehouse of old knowledge. The modern university looks forward, and is a factory of new knowledge.