Quotes About Author

Traditional American intellectuals are, in a sense, increasingly reactionary, and quite often proudly (and perversely) ignorant of many of the truly significant intellectual accomplishments of our time.

RIDLEY Science writer; founding chairman, International Centre for Life; author, The Rational Optimist

CAPTURE CHARLES SEIFE Professor of journalism, NYU; former staff writer, Science; author, Proofiness: The Dark Arts of Mathematical Deception

Description length is actually a measure of complexity

Confusion of Confusions," written by a plunger on the Amsterdam market named Joseph de la Vega;

Xerography is bringing a reign of terror into the world of publishing, because it means that every reader can become both author and publisher,

Before 1900, very few new income taxes appear to have been enacted anywhere without the stimulus of a war.

The role of the hero was filled, surprisingly, by the most frightening of untested forces in the market—the mutual funds.

Evidence that people are selling stocks at a time when they ought to be eating lunch is always regarded as a serious matter.

voluntary compliance," to strive for agreeable, or at least not disagreeable, relations with the taxpaying public, and so on. He is a less gregarious and a more reflective man than Caplin, however, and this difference has had

It soon became evident, though, that public sympathy was one thing and public willingness to translate sympathy into cash was quite another.

The eyes were of a color which he could never decide on, afterwards when he told the story he used to say they were the color of everything in Spring.

Pardon,' he said, 'I'm a bit rattled tonight. You see, I happen at this moment to be dead.

The name of the slough was Despond.

To be frank, nothing has changed since The Quiet American—when we finally destroy the whole world it will be with the very best of intentions.

Legislatures and parliaments can get together and pretend to change God's laws, but it has no effect on eternal truth.

But most short-term renters of stocks are not particularly interested in assuring that corporate governance is focused on placing the interests of the stockholder first.

There is a Divine Providence operating over and above the materialistic happenings of biological evolution.

The seneschal said in panic, "Stop that man from talking! He is a lawyer!

the important questions are answered by not liking only but disliking and accepting equally what one likes and dislikes. Otherwise there is no access to the dark night of the soul.

Value judgments are destructive to our proper business, which is curiosity and awareness.

Growing up in Wales was a pretty Draconian experience with religion.

There is no medium between the two things: the earth must either be worthless in our estimation, or keep us enslaved by an intemperate love of it.

He regards it as the highest insult for the wicked to boast of His covenant while profaning His sacred Name by their whole lives.