Joshua Lederberg quotes

Joshua Lederberg was an American scientist and molecular biologist, renowned for his pioneering work in bacterial genetics. His research contributed significantly to our understanding of genetic exchange and microbial evolution. He also received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his groundbreaking discoveries. Here are 29 of his quotes:

All of civility depends on being able to contain the rage of individuals. (Joshua Lederberg)
Being successful at a very young age gave me the confidence and the capability to try out other things. View quote
Joshua Lederberg
I did get a very fine education, and not just in science. It took some pressure on the part of my elders to convince me that I really should take an interest in humanities. View quote
Joshua Lederberg
I wish I had a talent for dropping things as well as taking on new ones. It gets to be quite a clutter after a while. View quote
Joshua Lederberg
I believe I am a person with unusual talents. I think I'd be a liar or stupid if I were to deny that. View quote
Joshua Lederberg
I get curious about new things. My real strength is going into a field that has not been investigated before, and finding new approaches to it. View quote
Joshua Lederberg
I'm not easily inhibited by the fact that I don't know something about a subject. It doesn't stop me from dabbling in it. View quote
Joshua Lederberg
Everybody has to learn for the first time. View quote
Joshua Lederberg
If it takes you 20 or 25 years to establish yourself in one field, you really ought to be careful not to stray too far. View quote
Joshua Lederberg
If you wanted to dissect the structure of living cells, genetic analysis was an extremely powerful method, so my interest turned to that. View quote
Joshua Lederberg
If we have isolated individuals able to inflict enormous harm, imagine what a single lunatic can do with a nuclear weapon. I think the whole base of civil society is at risk. (Joshua Lederberg)
I have many shortcomings. I feel very lucky to have been able to have what I've had. View quote
Joshua Lederberg
I certainly saw science as a kind of calling, and one with as much legitimacy as a religious calling. View quote
Joshua Lederberg
When I was in high school, I became interested in cytochemistry: chemical analysis under the microscope, and trying to understand the composition of cells. View quote
Joshua Lederberg
I started on the use of the Internet for scientific communication. Our research group was one of the very first to make really systematic use of it as a way of managing research projects. View quote
Joshua Lederberg
I got my Nobel Prize for my lab work. View quote
Joshua Lederberg
If lifespan jumps by 30 or 40 years, that has enormous implications. View quote
Joshua Lederberg
To have the recognition of your colleagues is great. The public attention is a mixed blessing. View quote
Joshua Lederberg
I'd like to put in a vote for the intrinsic fascination of science. View quote
Joshua Lederberg
A Swedish newspaper reporter called and said, You've been awarded the Prize. I was quite sure it was a practical joke. View quote
Joshua Lederberg
My ambitions were already very clearly fixed by the time I was 6 or 7. (Joshua Lederberg)
Try hard to find out what you're good at and what your passions are, and where the two converge, and build your life around that. View quote
Joshua Lederberg
As soon as you go into any biological process in any real detail, you discover it's open-ended in terms of what needs to be found out about it. View quote
Joshua Lederberg
By the time I was 12 or 13, I was studying biochemistry textbooks. View quote
Joshua Lederberg
Although I am a public figure, I'm still a little shy. I don't think my own personality is important. I prefer to keep some small dosage of privacy. View quote
Joshua Lederberg

Joshua Lederberg

Joshua Lederberg - Image
Occupation: American Scientist
Born: May 23, 1925
Died: February 2, 2008
Quotes count: 29