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Leo Szilard

Leo Szilard Books

Physicist

Leo Szilard, born on February 11, 1898 and died on May 30, 1964, was a prominent physicist whose contributions were significant in the fields of nuclear physics and quantum theory. In 1939, he collaborated with Enrico Fermi to propose the theory of nuclear fission chain reaction, which laid the foundation for the development of atomic bombs and nuclear energy technology.

The Voice of the Dolphins and Other Sto...

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Toward a Livable World: Leo Szilard and...

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“A man's clarity of judgment is never very good when you're involved, and as you grow older, and as you grow more involved, your clarity of judgement suffers.”

Men Suffering Grows Involved Judgment Very Good Clarity Judgement

Author:Leo Szilard

“Speak to all men as you do to yourself, with no concern for the effect you make, so that you do not shut them out from your world; lest in isolation the meaning of life slips out of sight and you lose the belief in the perfection of creation.”

Men World Belief Speak Loses Effects Creation Concern Perfection Sight Meaning Of Life Isolation Slips

Author:Leo Szilard

“I'm looking for a market for wisdom.”

Book:Toward a Livable World: Leo Szilard and the Crusade for Nuclear Arms Control

Source: Toward a Livable World: Leo Szilard and the Crusade for Nuclear Arms Control

“The most important step in getting a job done is the recognition of the problem. Once I recognize a problem I usually can think of someone who can work it out better than I could.”

Thinking Important Done Problem Jobs Steps Recognition Working It

Author:Leo Szilard

“In life you must often choose between getting a job done or getting credit for it. In science, the most important thing is not the ideas you have but the decision which ones you choose to pursue. If you have an idea and are not doing anything with it, why spoil someone else's fun by publishing it?”

Ifs Important Ideas Done Jobs Fun Decision Important Things Credit Pursue You Choose Publishing Spoil

Author:Leo Szilard

“Science is progressing at such a rapid rate that when you make a prediction and think you are ahead of your time by 100 years you may be ahead of your time by 10 at most.”

Thinking Years May Progress Rate Predictions Rapids

Author:Leo Szilard

“When a scientist says something, his colleagues must ask themselves only whether it is true. When a politician says something, his colleagues must first of all ask, 'Why does he say it?”

Firsts Doe Asks Politician Scientist Colleagues

Book:The Voice of the Dolphins and Other Stories

Source: The Voice of the Dolphins and Other Stories

“Do not destroy what you cannot create.”

Author:Leo Szilard

“Three stages of truth for scientists: It's not true. If it is true, it's not very important. We knew it all along.”

Ifs Important Three Stage Scientist

Author:Leo Szilard

“In science it is not enough to think of an important problem on which to work. It is also necessary to know the means which could be used to investigate the problem.”

Thinking Knows Mean Important Enough Problem Used Working It

Author:Leo Szilard

“You may assume infinite ignorance and unlimited intelligence.”

May Ignorance Infinite Assuming Unlimited

Author:Leo Szilard

“I am thinking of keeping a diary, not with the intend to publish it, merely to record the facts for the information of God, in case God does not know my version of the facts.”

Thinking Knows Doe Facts Cases Records Information Versions Publish Diaries

Author:Leo Szilard

“I'm all in favor of the democratic principle that one idiot is as good as one genius, but I draw the line when someone takes the next step and concludes that two idiots are better than one genius.”

Two Next Lines Steps Principles Genius Draws Democratic Favors Idiot Next Steps

Author:Leo Szilard

“If you want to succeed in the world, you don't have to be much cleverer than other people. You just have to be one day earlier.”

People Ifs World Want One Day Succeed Physics

Book:Toward a Livable World: Leo Szilard and the Crusade for Nuclear Arms Control

Source: Toward a Livable World: Leo Szilard and the Crusade for Nuclear Arms Control

“Do your work for six years; but in the seventh, go into solitude or among strangers, so that the memory of your friends does not hinder you from being what you have become.”

Years Doe Memories Friends Solitude Six Stranger Hinder

Author:Leo Szilard

“We turned the switch, saw the flashes, watched for ten minutes, then switched everything off and went home. That night I knew the world was headed for sorrow.”

World Home Night Saws Minutes Sorrow Ten Flash

Author:Leo Szilard

“I have been asked whether I would agree that the tragedy of the scientist is that he is able to bring about great advances in our knowledge, which mankind may then proceed to use for purposes of destruction. My answer is that this is not the tragedy of the scientist; it is the tragedy of mankind.”

May Has Beens Use Able Science Purpose Answers Knowledge Progress Mankind Destruction Scientist Tragedy Agree Physicist Advancement Inventor

Author:Leo Szilard

“Pronouncement of experts to the effect that something cannot be done has always irritated me.”

Done Effects Experts Irritated

Author:Leo Szilard

“A scientist's aim in a discussion with his colleagues is not to persuade, but to clarify.”

Scientist Aim Discussion Colleagues Clarifying

Book:The Voice of the Dolphins and Other Stories

Source: The Voice of the Dolphins and Other Stories

“Don't lie if you don't have to.”

Ifs Lying Don't Lie

Author:Leo Szilard

“If one knows only what one is told, one does not know enough to be able to arrive at a well-balanced decision.”

Ifs Knows Wells Doe Enough Able Decision Balanced

Author:Leo Szilard

“A great power imposes the obligation of exercising restraint, and we did not live up to this obligation. I think this affected many of the scientists in a subtle sense, and it diminished their desire to continue to work on the bomb.”

Thinking Desire Exercise Scientist Obligation Bombs Subtle Affected Restraint Great Power

Author:Leo Szilard

“Even if we accept, as the basic tenet of true democracy, that one moron is equal to one genius, is it necessary to go a further step and hold that two morons are better than one genius?”

Ifs Two Accepting Steps Democracy Genius Equal Moron True Democracy

Author:Leo Szilard

“If the thickness is larger than the critical value I can produce an explosion.”

Ifs I Can Values Produce Critical Explosions Thickness

Author:Leo Szilard

“Those individuals who give moral considerations a much greater weight than considerations of expediency represent a comparatively small minority, five percent of the people perhaps. But, In spite of their numerical inferiority, they play a major role in our society because theirs is the voice of the conscience of society.”

People Giving Play Science Individual Voice Moral Roles Five Greater Majors Percent Conscience Weight Spite Consideration Minorities Our Society Inferiority Expediency

Author:Leo Szilard

“Byrnes... was concerned about Russia's postwar behavior. Russian troops had moved into Hungary and Rumania, and Byrnes thought it would be very difficult to persuade Russia to withdraw her troops from these countries, that Russia might be more manageable if impressed by American military might, and that a demonstration of the bomb might impress Russia.”

Ifs Country Might Would Be Difficult Military Behavior Concerned Moved Russia Bombs Troops Impressed Impress Demonstration Manageable Hungary American Military

Author:Leo Szilard

About the Author

Born: February 11, 1898
Died: May 30, 1964
Known for: Physicist
Quotes: 26

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The Voice of the Dolphins and Other StoriesRelated source material

Toward a Livable World: Leo Szilard and the Crusade for Nuclear Arms ControlRelated source material

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