WIST Quotations

Montagu, Ashley -- Growing Young (1981)

Dave — Tue, 17 Aug 2021 20:12:19 +0000

The ability to play is one of the principal criteria of mental health.

Ashley Montagu (1905-1999) British-American anthropologist and humanist [b. Israel Ehrenberg, a/k/a Montague Francis Ashley-Montagu]
Growing Young (1981)
(Source)

In the 2nd edition (1989), Montagu rephrased this a bit less prosaically: "Play is, of course, among the clearest of neotenous behavioral traits; it is the neoteny of the intellect, a principal criterion of mental health." Montagu uses the term "neoteny" to mean "growing young."

Montagu, Ashley -- Growing Young, ch. 1 (1981)

Dave — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 14:11:57 +0000

We begin to understand the goal of life is to die young — as late as possible!

Ashley Montagu (1905-1999) British-American anthropologist and humanist [b. Israel Ehrenberg, a/k/a Montague Francis Ashley-Montagu]
Growing Young, ch. 1 (1981)

Sometimes paraphrased: "The idea is to die young as late as possible."

Montagu, Ashley -- Science and Creationism, Introduction (1984)

Dave — Mon, 22 Feb 2021 15:23:33 +0000

Bigotry and science can have no communication with each other, for science begins where bigotry and absolute certainty end. The scientist believes in proof without certainty, the bigot in certainty without proof. Let us never forget that tyranny most often springs from a fanatical faith in the absoluteness of one’s beliefs.

Ashley Montagu (1905-1999) British-American anthropologist and humanist [b. Israel Ehrenberg, a/k/a Montague Francis Ashley-Montagu]
Science and Creationism, Introduction (1984)

The second sentence is frequently (mis)quoted:

"Science has proof without any certainty. Creationists have certainty without any proof."
"Religion gives us certainty without proof; science gives us proof without certainty."