Any man whose errors take ten years to correct is quite a man.
J. Robert OppenheimerRead
Bertrand Russell had given a talk on the then new quantum mechanics, of whose wonders he was most appreciative. He spoke hard and earnestly in the New Lecture Hall. And when he was done, Professor Whitehead, who presided, thanked him for his efforts, and not least for 'leaving the vast darkness of the subject unobscured'.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects on the complexities of quantum mechanics and the challenge of making profound subjects comprehensible.
This quote highlights the difficulty inherent in explaining advanced scientific concepts, such as quantum mechanics, which are often shrouded in complexity and ambiguity. Bertrand Russell's earnest attempt to discuss these ideas is acknowledged by Professor Whitehead, who appreciates that despite efforts to illuminate the topic, some aspects remain obscured, emphasizing the limits of human understanding in the face of scientific wonders.
Themes
Quantum MechanicsScienceComplexityUnderstandingEducation
In practice
Example use cases
In a lecture on advanced physics, to illustrate the challenges of teaching complex topics.
More from J. Robert Oppenheimer
All quotes →There are children playing in the streets who could solve some of my top problems in physics, because they have modes of sensory perception that I lost long ago.
J. Robert OppenheimerRead
It is perfectly obvious that the whole world is going to hell. The only possible chance that it might not is that we do not attempt to prevent it from doing so.
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Now I am become death, the destroyer of worlds. (quoting the Bhagavad-Gita after witnessing the first Nuclear explosion.)
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[About the great synthesis of atomic physics in the 1920s:] It was a heroic time. It was not the doing of any one man; it involved the collaboration of scores of scientists from many different lands. But from the first to last the deeply creative, subtle and critical spirit of Niels Bohr guided, restrained, deepened and finally transmuted the enterprise.
J. Robert OppenheimerRead
'It worked.' (said after witnessing the first atomic detonation).
J. Robert OppenheimerRead
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