Quotes About Science

The more success the quantum theory has, the sillier it looks. How nonphysicists would scoff if they were able to follow the odd course of developments!

I am ceaselessly occupied with the question of the constitution of radiation … This quantum question is so incredibly important and difficult that everyone should busy himself on it.

Science without epistemology is – insofar as it is thinkable at all – primitive and muddled.

and I think (like you, by the way) that theory cannot be fabricated out of the results of observation, but that it can only be invented. [Letter to Karl Popper; 11 Sep 1939]

The most beatiful and most profound experience is the sensation of the mystical. It is the sower of all true science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead.

Does there truly exist an insuperable contradiction between religion and science? Can religion be superseded by science?

Albert Einstein

Jedenfalls bin ich überzeugt, dass der [Herrgott] nicht würfelt.

Every true theorist is a kind of tamed metaphysicist.

As far as our propositions are certain, they do not say anything about reality, and as far as they do say anything about reality, they are not certain Albert Einstein (as cited in Schumpeter, 1991)

La scienza, contrariamente ad un'opinione diffusa, non elimina Dio. La fisica deve addirittura perseguire finalità teologiche, poiché deve proporsi non solo di sapere com'è la natura, ma anche di sapere perché la natura è così e non in un'altra maniera, con l'intento di arrivare a capire se Dio avesse davanti a sé altre scelte quando creò il mondo.

After a certain high level of technical skill is achieved, science and art tend to coalesce in esthetics, plasticity, and form. The greatest scientists are artists as well. Remark

The most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion that stands at the cradle of true art and true science. Whoever does not know it and can no longer wonder, no longer marvel, is as good as dead, and his eyes are dimmed.

However we select from nature a complex (of phenomena) using the criterion of simplicity, in no case will its theoretical treatment turn out to be forever appropriate...But I do not doubt that the day will come when that description (the general theory of relativity), too, will have to yield to another one, for reasons which at present we do not yet surmise. I believe that that this process of deepening the theory has no limits.

The creative principle [of science] resides in mathematics.

The [quantum] theory reminds me a little of the system of delusions of an exceedingly intelligent paranoiac.

The more success the quantum theory has, the sillier it looks.

Apenas se puede negar que el objetivo supremo de toda teoría es hacer los elementos básicos tan simples y tan poco numerosos como sea posible, sin renunciar a la representación adecuada de un simple dato

The most beautiful emotion is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion that stands at the cradle of all true art and science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead, a snuffed-out candle. To sense that behind anything that can be experienced there is something that our minds cannot grasp: this is religiousness. In this sense, and in this sense only, I am a devoutly religious man.

Il faut tout simplifier autant que possible, mais pas plus

A scientific theory should be as simple as possible, but no simpler

Wenn ich rechne und sehe ein winziges Insekt das auf meine Papier geflogen ist dann fühle ich etwas wie Allah ist Gross (Allahu Akbar) und wir sind armseliges Tröpfe mit unseren ganzen Wissenschaften Herrlichkeit

Hmm, yes. Pig physics.

Kuantum mekaniÄŸi konusunda çok çal??mak gerekir.Ama içimden bir ses bana bunun her ÅŸeyin çözümü olmad???n? söylüyor.Bu teoriyle birçok ÅŸey aç?klan?yor; ama hala O'nun s?rr?n? çözebilmiÅŸ deÄŸiliz.Ben yine de O'nun zar at?p kumar oynad???n?,hiç mi hiç sanm?yorum.