Science is in its essence nothing but the systematic pursuit of knowledge, and knowledge, whatever ill-uses bad men make of it, is in its essence good. To lose faith in knowledge is to lose faith in the best of man's capacities; and therefore I repeat unhesitatingly that the unyielding rationalist has a better faith and a more unbending optimism than any of the timid seekers after the childish comforts of a less adult age.
--Bertrand Russell
