"I love these tales because, in more reasonable attributions of motive, they so beautifully embody a fundamental theme of historical explanation - that consequences of substantial import often arise from triggers of entirely different intent. In other words, current utility bears no necessary relationship with historical origin."
Stephen Jay Gould

January 1, 1970

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Added on April 10, 2026
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Original Language: English

Sources

"The Tallest Tale", p. 302

https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Stephen_Jay_Gould