Every living being is also a fossil. Within it, all the way down to the microscopic structure of its proteins, it bears the traces if not the stigmata of its ancestry.

A totally blind process can by definition lead to anything; it can even lead to vision itself.

There are living systems; there is no'living matter'.

What is true for E. coli is also true for the elephant.

Je cherche à comprendre.

In science there is and will remain a Platonic element which could not be taken away without ruining it. Among the infinite diversity of singular phenomena science can only look for invariants.

The scientific attitude implies the postulate of objectivity-that is to say, the fundamental postulate that there is no plan; that there is no intention in the universe.

The whole concert of animate nature arose entirely from annoying noises.

Man finally knows that he is alone in the indifferent immensity of the Universe, from which he emerged by accident.

A curious aspect of the theory of evolution is that everybody thinks he understands it.

Man's destiny is nowhere spelled out, nor is his duty.

Think about what’s pleasurable, not just what’s possible.

The more you limit your choices, thereby limiting thought, the more you can simplify your life and focus your energy elsewhere.

We all have a Monster within; the difference is in degree, not in kind.

The true measurement of a person's worth isn't what they say they believe in, but what they do in defense of those beliefs. If you're not acting on your beliefs, then they probably aren't real.

Blaming women is always in fashion.

The tragedy of our time is that we've got it backwards, we've learned to love techniques and use people.

You're not really free until you're free from trying to please everybody.

The best philanthropy is constantly in search of the finalities-a search for a cause, an attempt to cure evils at their source.

We shouldn't be afraid to fail- if we are not failing we are not pushing.

It is difficult to resist a force of nature, Maman. His seduction is like all my senses struck by bolts of lightning.