Quotations
"There is one thing stronger than all the armies in the world, and that is an idea whose time has come."
The above is a paraphrased version of a Victor Hugo quote - On résiste à l'invasion des armées; on ne résiste pas à l'invasion des idées.
Ideas are, in large part, what have enabled us to achieve all we have. If you were playing top trumps with the game themed on life on earth, then the 'human' card would not be exceptional. We would score poorly on strength compared to many animals, our speed is nothing compared to the cheetah, and our stamina is by no means anything special. Our size is also not particularly great compared to animals like the elephant or many whales and sharks.
Yet there is a statistic where we would be well ahead: intelligence. And as the products of our intelligence over thousands of years show, this can ultimately trump all else. Most things you see around you in towns and cities will bear the hallmark of human intellect, manifest in our ideas, dreams and endeavours. Ideas turned to concrete buildings, to lightbulbs, to computers, mobile phones and aircraft.
This section looks at ideas, thoughts, inventions and scientific (and other) progress and theories, including some of the names behind them. Often the quotation theme will come out with some suitable words accompanying an article. You are invited to comment or to contribute an article Here.
