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If we choose a weak and foolish speculation as a primary textbook illustration (falsely assuming that the tale possesses a weight of history and a sanction of evidence), then we are in for trouble - as critics properly nail the particular weakness, and then assume that the whole theory must be in danger if supporters choose such a fatuous case as a primary illustration.

— Stephen Jay Gould Leonardo's Mountain of Clams and the Diet of Worms (1998)

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More quotes by Stephen Jay Gould

If there is any consistent enemy of science, it is not religion, but irrationalism.

Ever Since Darwin (1977)

Great theories are expansive; failures mire us in dogmatism and tunnel vision.

Eight Little Piggies (1993)

Details are all that matters: God dwells there, and you never get to see Him if you don't struggle to get them right.

Eight Little Piggies (1993)

The world, unfortunately, rarely matches our hopes and consistently refuses to behave in a reasonable manner.

The Panda's Thumb (1980)

The study of social setting does not imply either the irrelevance or nonexistence of a factual world out there.

An Urchin in the Storm (1987)

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Quote text and notes from Wikiquote: Stephen Jay Gould (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source quality and labels are our own summary of what Wikiquote records.