Liberty

Augustus Earle, Gaol Gang

One is at liberty to suppose that somewhere along the way the scientist has intuitively abstracted rules of the game for himself, but there is little reason to believe it. Though many scientists talk easily and well about particular individual hypotheses that underlie a concrete piece of current research, they are little better than laymen at characterizing the established bases of their field, its legitimate problems and methods.
— Thomas Kuhn, The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, second edition, 1970, 47.

Seeking to conquer a larger liberty, man but extends the empire of necessity.
— Herman Melville (1819 – 1891), The Bell-Tower.

Had I so interfered in behalf of the rich, the powerful, the intelligent, the so-called great … it would have been all right… I believe that to have interfered as I have done — in defense of His despised poor, was not wrong but right.
— John Brown (1800 – 1859), at his trial in Charlestown, Virginia.

All that glisters may not be gold, but at least it contains free electrons.
— J. D. Bernal (1901 – 1971), Lecture.

Freedom and Whisky gang thegither!
— Robert Burns (1759 – 1796), The Author’s Earnest Cry and Prayer.

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