John McCarthy (computer scientist) quotes - page 2

There is only one thing more harmful to society than an elected official forgetting the promises he made in order to get elected; that's when he doesn't forget them. (John McCarthy (computer scientist))
Hard distinctions make bad philosophy. View quote
John McCarthy (computer scientist)
Language is froth on the surface of thought. View quote
John McCarthy (computer scientist)
Of course, Third World leaders love you. By ascribing third world ills to First World sins, you absolve them of blame for their countries' failure to advance. View quote
John McCarthy (computer scientist)
With no more than six levels of misquotation, any statement can be made to say whatever you wish. View quote
John McCarthy (computer scientist)
Hardly anyone has noticed that in the Northern Hemisphere people stir their drinks counterclockwise, whereas the same people stir their drinks clockwise when visiting the Southern Hemisphere. View quote
John McCarthy (computer scientist)
Once a person has killed other people on behalf of an ideology, he becomes rather devoted to it. View quote
John McCarthy (computer scientist)
An extreme optimist is a man who believes that humanity will probably survive even if it doesn't take his advice. View quote
John McCarthy (computer scientist)
An excessive knowledge of Marxism is a sign of a misspent youth. View quote
John McCarthy (computer scientist)
Suicidal terrorists may have short shelf lives. View quote
John McCarthy (computer scientist)
It is said that man doesn't live by bread alone. Sometimes this is unfortunate, because people who cannot live by bread alone too often kill other people in consequence of the fights they get into. (John McCarthy (computer scientist))
Slogans rarely convince the unconvinced. However, they do rally the troops already on your side. View quote
John McCarthy (computer scientist)
The slogan was 'Don't trust anyone over thirty'. Sixty years later the slogan became, 'Don't trust anyone over ninety'. View quote
John McCarthy (computer scientist)
The difference between a contemporary liberal and a socialist is that to a liberal the most beautiful word in the English language is 'forbidden', whereas to a socialist the most beautiful word is 'compulsory'. View quote
John McCarthy (computer scientist)
Honor among thieves is the ancestor of all honor. View quote
John McCarthy (computer scientist)
Committing genocide on behalf of an institution generates greater loyalty to it than merely getting people fired from their jobs on its behalf. View quote
John McCarthy (computer scientist)
My opinion is that he's a swindler and you're a sucker. View quote
John McCarthy (computer scientist)
Proposals to forbid golf courses have about the same motivations as proposals to forbid skate boarding, although the rationalizations are different. View quote
John McCarthy (computer scientist)
Alas few socialists are either benevolent enough to work hard at these occupations out of benevolence or self-interested enough to work hard at them for money. View quote
John McCarthy (computer scientist)
Never abandon a theory that explains something until you have a theory that explains more. View quote
John McCarthy (computer scientist)
Don't try to talk anyone out of concentrating his hatred on Ayn Rand or any other dead person. It can't harm the dead. Diverted to a living person, it might actually do harm. (John McCarthy (computer scientist))
The peace movement is a great force for peace. Some of the world's most quarrelsome people act out their aggressions through the peace movement. View quote
John McCarthy (computer scientist)
Foolishness is rarely a matter of lack of intelligence or even lack of information. View quote
John McCarthy (computer scientist)
In human history, the desire for revenge and the desire for loot have often been closely associated. View quote
John McCarthy (computer scientist)
Inside of many liberals is a fascist struggling to get out. View quote
John McCarthy (computer scientist)