Do not imagine that mathematics is hard and crabbed, and repulsive to common sense. It is merely the etherealization of common sense.
Lord KelvinRead
There is nothing new to be discovered in physics now. All that remains is more and more precise measurement.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote suggests that the fundamental principles of physics have been established, and future advancements will focus on refining measurements rather than discovering new concepts.
Lord Kelvin's quote reflects the idea that the core discoveries in physics have been made, emphasizing a shift in scientific focus towards improving the precision of measurements rather than uncovering new laws or phenomena. It highlights the importance of measurement accuracy in the scientific process, suggesting that further knowledge will depend on the meticulous analysis and refinement of existing principles.
Themes
PhysicsMeasurementScienceDiscoveryPrecision
In practice
Example use cases
In a lecture on the evolution of scientific understanding, this quote can illustrate the shift from theory to measurement.
More from Lord Kelvin
All quotes βWe only know God in His works, but we are forced by science to admit and to believe with absolute confidence in a Directive Power-in an influence other than physical, or dynamical, or electrical forces.
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In science there is only physics; all the rest is stamp collecting.
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Let nobody be afraid of true freedom of thought. Let us be free in thought and criticism; but, with freedom, we are bound to come to the conclusion that science is not antagonistic to religion, but a help to it.
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I need scarcely say that the beginning and maintenance of life on earth is absolutely and infinitely beyond the range of all sound speculation in dynamical science. The only contribution of dynamics to theoretical biology is absolute negation of automatic commencement or automatic maintenance of life.
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Science is bound, by the everlasting vow of honour, to face fearlessly every problem which can be fairly presented to it.
Lord KelvinRead
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