We 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.
Lord KelvinRead
Do not imagine that mathematics is hard and crabbed, and repulsive to common sense. It is merely the etherealization of common sense.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Mathematics is not as difficult as it seems; it's a refined form of common sense.
In this quote, Lord Kelvin emphasizes that mathematics should not be viewed as an intimidating or difficult discipline. Instead, he argues that it is an abstraction of common sense, implying that mathematical concepts stem from fundamental logical reasoning that is innate to human understanding. By redefining mathematics in this way, he encourages individuals to engage with the subject without fear or prejudice.
Themes
MathematicsCommon SenseUnderstandingScienceLearning
In practice
Example use cases
In a classroom setting to encourage students who find math challenging.
More from Lord Kelvin
All quotes βIn science there is only physics; all the rest is stamp collecting.
Lord KelvinRead
There is nothing new to be discovered in physics now. All that remains is more and more precise measurement.
Lord KelvinRead
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.
Lord KelvinRead
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.
Lord KelvinRead
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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