Whether in the intellectual pursuits of science or in the mystical pursuits of the spirit, the light beckons ahead, and the purpose surging in our nature responds.
Arthur EddingtonRead
Science is one thing, wisdom is another. Science is an edged tool, with which men play like children, and cut their own fingers. If you look at the results which science has brought in its train, you will find them to consist almost wholly in elements of mischief. See how much belongs to the word "Explosion" alone, of which the ancients knew nothing.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Science provides knowledge, but wisdom guides how we use that knowledge responsibly.
Arthur Eddington's quote emphasizes the distinction between science and wisdom, highlighting that while science offers powerful tools and insights, it can also lead to harmful consequences if misused. The comparison of science to an edged tool implies that without the guiding hand of wisdom, humanity might inadvertently cause damage to itself, illustrating the need for ethical considerations in scientific pursuits.
Themes
ScienceWisdomKnowledgeResponsibilityConsequences
In practice
Example use cases
In a debate on ethical research practices, one might quote this to underline the importance of responsible science.
More from Arthur Eddington
All quotes →The physical world is entirely abstract and without actuality apart from its linkage to consciousness.
Arthur EddingtonRead
It is one thing for the human mind to extract from the phenomena of nature the laws which it has itself put into them; it may be a far harder thing to extract laws over which it has no control. It is even possible that laws which have not their origin in the mind may be irrational, and we can never succeed in formulating them.
Arthur EddingtonRead
Whatever else there may be in our nature, responsibility toward truth is one of its attributes.
Arthur EddingtonRead
In the world of physics we watch a shadowgraph performance of the drama of familiar life. The shadow of my elbow rests on the shadow table as the shadow ink flows over the shadow paper. It is all symbolic, and as a symbol the physicist leaves it. ... The frank realisation that physical science is concerned with a world of shadows is one of the most significant of recent advances.
Arthur EddingtonRead
So far as physics is concerned, time's arrow is a property of entropy alone.
Arthur EddingtonRead
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