The greatest danger that threatens us is neither heterodox thought nor orthodox thought, but the absence of thought.

Education is essential to change, for education creates both new wants and the ability to satisfy them.

A free society cherishes nonconformity. It knows from the non-conformist, from the eccentric, have come many of the great ideas.

Men in authority will always think that criticism of their policies is dangerous. They will always equate their policies with patriotism, and find criticism subversive.

The Bill of Rights was not written to protect governments from trouble. It was written precisely to give the people the constitutional means to cause trouble for governments they no longer trusted.

Censorship always defeats it own purpose, for it creates in the end the kind of society that is incapable of exercising real discretion.

History is organized memory, and the organization is all important!

Change does not necessarily assure progress, but progress implacably requires change.

If our democracy is to flourish, it must have criticism; if our government is to function it must have dissent.

The Americans who framed our Constitution felt that without freedom of religion no other freedom counted.

History is a jangle of accidents, blunders, surprises and absurdities, and so is our knowledge of it, but if we are to report it at all we must impose some order upon it.

If you give people tools, and they use their natural abilities and their curiosity, they will develop things in ways that will surprise you very much beyond what you might have expected.

You're insane!""I won't argue that point.

In the race of life, you need self confidence, courage and faith in your abilities to win the race.

Every maiden's weak and willin' When she meets the proper villian.

I do not forgive myself for being born. It is as if creeping into this world, I had profaned a mystery, betrayed some momentous pledge, committed a fault of nameless gravity.

I mean you've got a conservative and right-winged press presence with really nothing on the other end of the political spectrum.

Perhaps our greatest distinction as a species is our capacity, unique among animals, to make counter-evolutionary choices.

Any time we give people the ability to use force, we have to be very careful. It's sort of like the people who spy on us - you've got to watch the watchers.

Married life requires shared mystery even when all the facts are known.

Except the Christ be born again tonight In dreams of all men, saints and sons of shame, The world will never see his kingdom bright.