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.
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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.
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