The march of intellect.

The march of intellect.

Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius-- and a read more

Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius-- and a lot of courage- -to move in the opposite direction.

Instinct perfected is a faculty of using and even constructing
organized instruments; intelligence perfected is the faculty of
read more

Instinct perfected is a faculty of using and even constructing
organized instruments; intelligence perfected is the faculty of
making and using unorganized instruments.

For the eye of the intellect "sees in all objects what it brought
with it the means of seeing."
read more

For the eye of the intellect "sees in all objects what it brought
with it the means of seeing."
- Thomas Carlyle,

Thou living ray of intellectual fire.

Thou living ray of intellectual fire.

Three sleepless nights I passed in sounding on,
Through words and things, a dim and perilous way.

Three sleepless nights I passed in sounding on,
Through words and things, a dim and perilous way.

The intellectual power, through words and things,
Went sounding on, a dim and perilous way!

The intellectual power, through words and things,
Went sounding on, a dim and perilous way!

In short, intelligence, considered in what seems to be its
original feature, is the faculty of manufacturing artificial
read more

In short, intelligence, considered in what seems to be its
original feature, is the faculty of manufacturing artificial
objects, especially tools to make tools, and of indefinitely
urging the manufacture.

I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has
endowed us with sense, reason, and read more

I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has
endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to
forgo their use.