"Better to die in the pursuit of civilized values, we believed, than in a flight underground. We were offering a value system couched in the language of science"
- John Charles Polanyi
About this Quote
John Charles Polanyi's quote speaks to the concept of defending what one believes in, even if it means compromising one's life. He is recommending that it is much better to crave a cause that is based upon civilized worths, rather than to hide away from the world. He is also suggesting that these values must be revealed in a language that is understood by all, such as science. This quote speaks to the concept of defending what one thinks in, even if it suggests compromising one's life. It is a tip that it is necessary to fight for what is right, even if it indicates putting one's life on the line. It is likewise a pointer that it is essential to express these values in a language that is comprehended by all, such as science, so that everyone can comprehend the significance of the cause.
"But in Christianity, by contrast, the freedom of the children of God was also freedom from all important worldly interests, from all art and science, etc"
"I think philosophers can do things akin to theoretical scientists, in that, having read about empirical data, they too can think of what hypotheses and theories might account for that data. So there's a continuity between philosophy and science in that way"
