Skip to content

Frank Herbert Quotes

1920–1986 United States

Franklin Patrick Herbert Jr. (8 October 1920 – 11 February 1986) was an American science-fiction writer, most famous for his Dune novels.

United States
Activists
Environmentalists
Journalists
Novelists

Random Frank Herbert quote

57 quotes

The thing we must do intensely is be human together. People are more important than things.

If we define Futurism as an exploration beyond accepted limits, then the nature of limiting systems becomes the first object of exploration.

Don't give over all of your critical faculties to people in power, no matter how admirable those people may appear to be.

Dune Genesis (1980)

No matter how finely you subdivide time and space, each tiny division contains infinity.

Dune Genesis (1980)

If you need something to worship, then worship life — all life, every last crawling bit of it! We're all in this beauty together!

Dune Messiah (1969)

I’ve heard you say, Bell, that logic is good for playing pyramid chess but often too slow for needs of survival.

Chapterhouse Dune (1985)

Learning a language represents training in the delusions of that language.

Whipping Star (1969)

Prophets hold a key to the lock in a language. The mechanical image remains only an image to them. This is not a mechanical universe.

God Emperor of Dune (1981)

Polish comes from the cities; wisdom from the desert.

Dune (1965)

Ecology is a dirty seven-letter word to many people. They are like heavy sleepers refusing to be aroused. "Leave me alone! It's not time to get up yet!"

Intelligence takes chances with limited data in an arena where mistakes are not only possible but also necessary.

Chapterhouse: Dune (1985)

The listener distrusts the prophetic messenger.

God Emperor of Dune (1981)

When a wise man does not understand, he says: "I do not understand." The fool and the uncultured are ashamed of their ignorance. They remain silent when a question could bring them wisdom.

The Godmakers (1972)

Providence and Manifest Destiny are synonyms often invoked to support arguments based on wishful thinking.

Whipping Star (1969)

Where is the weapon with which I enforce your bondage? You give it to me every time you open your mouth.

Whipping Star (1969)

" Life exists immersed in a sea of unconsciousness", he reminded himself.
"In the drug, these people gain a view of that sea".

The Santaroga Barrier (1968)

The people I distrust most are those who want to improve our lives but have only one course of action in mind.

The scarce water of Dune is an exact analog of oil scarcity. CHOAM is OPEC.

Dune Genesis (1980)

The willow submits to the wind and prospers until one day it is many willows — a wall against the wind. This is the willow's purpose.

Dune (1965)

That is one of the Law's purposes, of course: to test the qualities of those who choose to employ it.

The Dosadi Experiment (1977)

Attribution

Quotes and notes from Wikiquote: Frank Herbert (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0.