The future belongs to Science. More and more she will control the destinies of the nations. Already she has them in her crucible and on her balances.
William OslerRead
The revolution which began with the creation of quantum theory and relativity theory can only be finished with their unification into a single theory that can give us a single, comprehensive picture of nature.
Interpretation
This quote emphasizes the importance of unifying theories in physics to achieve a complete understanding of nature.
Lee Smolin emphasizes the revolutionary shift in physics initiated by quantum theory and relativity, suggesting that the true completion of this scientific revolution lies in unifying these theories into a singular framework. This unification would allow for a comprehensive understanding of the natural world, reflecting the ongoing pursuit of knowledge in science and the interconnectivity of different theories.
In practice
In a lecture on the future of physics, one might quote this to inspire students about the importance of theoretical integration.
The future belongs to Science. More and more she will control the destinies of the nations. Already she has them in her crucible and on her balances.
It is remarkable, Hardin, how the religion of science has grabbed hold.
If we estimate dignity by immediate usefulness, agriculture is undoubtedly the first and noblest science.
It could be that at some earlier time, somewhere in the universe, a civilization evolved by probably some kind of Darwinian means to a very, very high level of technology- and designed a form of life that they seeded onto perhaps this planet. And I suppose it's possible that you might find evidence for that if you look at the details of biochemistry, molecular biology, you might find a signature of some sort of designer.
The statistical probability that organic structures and the most precisely harmonized reactions that typify living organisms would be generated by accident, is zero.
I tell my students, with a feeling of pride that I hope they will share, that the carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen that make up ninety-nine per cent of our living substance were cooked in the deep interiors of earlier generations of dying stars. Gathered up from the ends of the universe, over billions of years, eventually they came to form, in part, the substance of our sun, its planets, and ourselves. Three billion years ago, life arose upon the earth. It is the only life in the solar system.
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