Es ist richtig, daß die Ergebnisse der Forschung den Menschen nicht veredeln und bereichern, wohl aber das Streben nach dem Verstehen, die produktive und rezeptive geistige Arbeit. (Albert Einstein)

The variety of objects worked on by young scientists is growing exponentially. [...] Somehow one feels, though, that it goes against the grain of one's ideals of science, which aims to understand, abbreviate, summarize, and, in particular, to develop, a notation system for the phenomena of the mind and of nature. 5653 Ulam, 288.

Il personaggio dello scienziato eclettico che oggi viene visto o come un raro esempio di genialità o come figura isolata ai confini dell'eccentricità, diventerà in futuro una necessità inderogabile. 5812 Rota, 145.

We go furthest in science precisely when we stop being frightened to embrace new ideas, just because they don't fit in easily with our preconceived notions.
7041 Boston/Grainville.