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François Jacob
(17 Jun 1920 - 19 Apr 2013)
French biologist who shared the 1965 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for pioneering research into molecular genetics.
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Science Quotes by François Jacob (3 quotes)
In order to drive the individuals towards reproduction, sexuality had therefore to be associated with some other devices. Among these was pleasure. … Thus pleasure appears as a mere expedient to push individuals to indulge in sex and therefore to reproduce. A rather successful expedient indeed as judged by the state of the world population.
— François Jacob
In 'Evolution and Tinkering,' Science, June 10, 1977.
It is natural selection that gives direction to changes, orients chance, and slowly, progressively produces more complex structures, new organs, and new species. Novelties come from previously unseen association of old material. To create is to recombine.
— François Jacob
In 'Evolution and Tinkering', Science (10 Jun 1977), 196, 1163.
Myths and science fulfill a similar function: they both provide human beings with a representation of the world and of the forces that are supposed to govern it. They both fix the limits of what is considered as possible.
— François Jacob
The Possible and the Actual (1982), 9.
See also:
- 17 Jun - short biography, births, deaths and events on date of Jacob's birth.
In science it often happens that scientists say, 'You know that's a really good argument; my position is mistaken,' and then they would actually change their minds and you never hear that old view from them again. They really do it. It doesn't happen as often as it should, because scientists are human and change is sometimes painful. But it happens every day. I cannot recall the last time something like that happened in politics or religion.
(1987) -- 
