"Anything which uses science as part of its name isn't: political science, creation science, computer science."

Hal Abelson Technology See all quotes by Hal Abelson →

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“In the Middle Ages people built cathedrals, where the whole town would get together and make a thing that's greater than any individual person could do and the society would kind of revel in that. We don't do that as much anymore, but in a sense this is kind of like building a cathedral.”

“It is not that there is some magic technology. It is what are you going to do with it?”

“MIT's maverick view of intellectual property worth considering" - Abelson gives his thoughts on MIT's new Open Courseware program and implications”

“Building the Infrastructure for Sustainable Educational Transformation" - MIT article concerning the Open Courseware program”

“Giving it away helps defuse complex intellectual property issues of ownership and control that can distract the universities from their missions to disseminate knowledge." - commmenting on MIT's Open Courseware program”

“Universities are meant to pass the torch of civilization.”

Resonant Thoughts

"We have achieved political freedom but our revolution is not yet complete and is still in progress, for political freedom without the assurance of the right to live and to pursue happiness, which econ…"

— Jawaharlal Nehru

Politics1889–1964

#change

"To such a one my answer is that I have arrived at a nourishing kernel in that I have learnt that a man is not in any difficulty in making a reply according to his faith which he ought to make to those…"

— Augustine of Hippo

Philosophy354–430

#knowledge

"If we take science as our sole guide, if we accept and hold fast that alone which is verifiable, the old theology, with all its miraculous machinery, must go."

— John Burroughs

Science1907–1978

#technology

"You must know that if a person, who has attained a certain degree of perfection, wishes to impart to others, either orally or in writing, any portion of the knowledge which he has acquired of these su…"

— Maimonides

Religion1135–1204

#philosophy