Georges Cuvier, Rapport historique sur les progrès des sciences naturelles (1810), as quoted in Clifford D. Conner, A People's History of Science (2005)
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To spread healthy ideas among even the lowest classes of people, to remove men from the influence of prejudice and passion, to make reason the arbiter and supreme guide of public opinion; that is the essential goal of the sciences; that is how science will contribute to the advancement of civilization, and that is what deserves protection of governments who want to insure the stability of their power.
— Georges Cuvier on Science
What It Means
This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "To spread healthy ideas among even the lowest classes of people, to remove men from the influence of prejudice and passion, to make reason the arbiter and supreme guide of public opinion; that is the essential goal of the sciences; that is how science will contribute to the advancement of civilization, and that is what deserves protection of governments who want to insure the stability of their power." in the context of "Georges Cuvier, Rapport historique sur les progrès des sciences naturelles (1810), as quoted in Clifford D. Conner, A People's History of Science (2005)" to mean that wisdom is timeless.
Source: Wikiquote: "Science" (C)
The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed January 18, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
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About Georges Cuvier
Baron Georges Léopold Chrétien Frédéric Dagobert Cuvier (August 23, 1769 – May 13, 1832) was a French naturalist and zoologist, sometimes referred to as the "founding father of paleontology". Cuvier was a major figure in natural sciences research in the early 19th century and was instrumental in establishing the fields of comparative anatomy and paleontology through his work in comparing living animals with fossils.
About Georges Cuvier
Baron Georges Léopold Chrétien Frédéric Dagobert Cuvier (August 23, 1769 – May 13, 1832) was a French naturalist and zoologist, sometimes referred to as the "founding father of paleontology". Cuvier was a major figure in natural sciences research in the early 19th century and was instrumental in establishing the fields of comparative anatomy and paleontology through his work in comparing living animals with fossils.
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