Steve Ambler

Professional – Professionnel

Links - Liens

Courses – Cours

The semester I last taught the course and its level (BSc, MSc, Phd) is indicated in parentheses. Course materials may not be available for older courses.

J'ai indiqué entre parenthèses le dernier trimestre où j’ai donné le cours et son niveau (premier cycle, maîtrise, doctorat). Les documents pour certains vieux cours ne sont plus disponibles.

Miscellaneous – Divers

Contact Information – Coordonnées


Last changed – Dernière mise à jour: 26/08/2024


In so far as a scientific statement speaks about reality, it must be falsifiable; and in so far as it is not falsifiable, it does not speak about reality. (Karl Popper)

He who knows only his own side of the case knows little of that. (John Stuart Mill)

From the fact that people are very different it follows that, if we treat them equally, the result must be inequality in their actual position, and that the only way to place them in an equal position would be to treat them differently. Equality before the law and material equality are therefore not only different but are in conflict with each other; and we can achieve either one or the other, but not both at the same time. (Friedrich Hayek)

Those who are willing to surrender their freedom for security have always demanded that if they give up their full freedom it should also be taken from those not prepared to do so. (Friedrich Hayek)

The urge to save humanity is almost always a false front for the urge to rule. (H.L. Mencken)

The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary. (H.L. Mencken)

Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience. (C.S. Lewis)

The first rule of economics is scarcity. The first rule of politics is to ignore the first rule of economics. (Thomas Sowell)

Far back in the mists of ancient time, in the great and glorious days of the former Galactic Empire, life was wild, rich and largely tax free. Mighty starships plied their way between exotic suns, seeking adventure and reward among the furthest reaches of Galactic space. In those days spirits were brave, the stakes were high, men were real men, women were real women and small furry creatures from Alpha Centauri were real small furry creatures from Alpha Centauri. And all dared to brave unknown terrors, to do mighty deeds, to boldly split infinitives that no man had split before--and thus was the Empire forged ... In these enlightened days, of course, no one believes a word of it. (Douglas Adams)

Every record has been destroyed or falsified, every book rewritten, every picture has been repainted, every statue and street building has been renamed, every date has been altered. And the process is continuing day by day and minute by minute. History has stopped. Nothing exists except an endless present in which the Party is always right. (George Orwell)

There are some ideas so absurd that only an intellectual could believe them. (George Orwell)

Fremd bin ich eingezogen, fremd zieh'ich wieder aus. (Wilhelm Müller/Franz Schubert, Die Winterreise)