“Programming went back to the beginning of time. It was a little like the midden out back of his father's castle.”

“Though his invention worked superbly [...] his theory was a crock of sewage from beginning to end.”

“The illusion of self-awareness. Happy automatons, running on trivial programs. I'll bet you never guess. From the inside, how can you?”

“Here we begin frank speculation. And since we are speculating, we'll use those powerful pseudo-laws, the Principles of Mediocrity and Minimal Assumption.”

“So much technology, so little talent.”

“Little fish risking everything for a piece of godhood...and not knowing heaven from hell, even when they find it.”

“Once upon a time I was such a good liar; I could talk the fish right into my mouths.”