Theory Quotes - Page 16

• It is a remarkable fact that the second law of thermodynamics has played in the history of science a fundamental role far beyond its original scope. Suffice it to mention Boltzmann's work on kinetic theory, Planck's discovery of quantum theory or Einstein's theory of spontaneous emission, which were all based on the second law of thermodynamics.

  Ilya Prigogine

  Hard Work, Science, Discovery

  "Time, Structure and Fluctuations". Nobel Lecture, December 8, 1977.

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• My colleagues in elementary particle theory in many lands [and I] are driven by the usual insatiable curiosity of the scientist, and our work is a delightful game. I am frequently astonished that it so often results in correct predictions of experimental results. How can it be that writing down a few simple and elegant formulae, like short poems governed by strict rules such as those of the sonnet or the waka, can predict universal regularities of Nature?

  Murray Gell-Mann

  Nature, Hard Work, Writing

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• The longing to behold this pre-established harmony [of phenomena and theoretical principles] is the source of the inexhaustible patience and perseverance with which Planck has devoted himself ... The state of mind which enables a man to do work of this kind is akin to that of the religious worshiper or the lover; the daily effort comes from no deliberate intention or program, but straight from the heart.

  Albert Einstein

  Perseverance, Religious, Hard Work

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• Progress is Providence without God. That is, it is a theory that everything has always perpetually gone right by accident. It is a sort of atheistic optimism, based on an everlasting coincidence far more miraculous than a miracle.

  Gilbert K. Chesterton

  Atheist, Optimism, Miracle

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• I believe what really happens in history is this: the old man is always wrong; and the young people are always wrong about what is wrong with him. The practical form it takes is this: that, while the old man may stand by some stupid custom, the young man always attacks it with some theory that turns out to be equally stupid.

  Gilbert K. Chesterton

  Stupid, Believe, Men

  "The Illustrated London News" Magazine, June 3, 1922.

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• The recurrence of a phenomenon like Edison is not very likely. The profound change of conditions and the ever increasing necessity of theoretical training would seem to make it impossible. He will occupy a unique and exalted position in the history of his native land, which might well be proud of his great genius and undying achievements in the interest of humanity.

  Nikola Tesla

  Change, Science, Unique

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• Crash programs fail because they are based on theory that, with nine women pregnant, you can get a baby in a month.

  Wernher von Braun

  Baby, Science, Nine

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• My decision to begin research in radio astronomy was influenced both by my wartime experience with electronics and antennas and by one of my teachers, Jack Ratcliffe, who had given an excellent course on electromagnetic theory during my final undergraduate year.

  Antony Hewish

  Teacher, War, Science

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• I'm not a yeller. My theory is that no one goes out there trying to screw up.

  Amy Ruley

  Success, Sports, Athlete

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• There are two theories on hitting the knuckleball. Unfortunately, neither of them work.

  Charley Lau

  Inspirational, Motivational, Baseball

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• All that stuff I was taught about evolution, embryology, Big Bang theory, all that is lies straight from the pit of hell. It's lies to try to keep me and all the folks who are taught that from understanding that they need a savior.

  Paul Broun

  Lying, Science, Understanding

  "U.S. Rep. Paul Broun: Evolution a lie 'from the pit of hell'" by Matt Pearce, articles.latimes.com. October 07, 2012.

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• Morphological information has provided the greatest single source of data in the formulation and development of the theory of evolution and that even now, when the preponderance of work is experimental, the basis for interpretation in many areas of study remains the form and relationships of structures.

  Everett C. Olson

  Science, Data, Theory Of Evolution

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• We have long been seeking a different kind of evolutionary process and have now found one; namely, the change within the pattern of the chromosomes. ... The neo-Darwinian theory of the geneticists is no longer tenable.

  Richard Goldschmidt

  Science, Long, Different

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• In evolution, as in all areas of science, our knowledge is incomplete. But the entire success of the scientific enterprise has depended on an insistence that these gaps be filled by natural explanations, logically derived from confirmable evidence. Because "intelligent design" theories are based on supernatural explanations, they can have nothing to do with science.

  Bruce Alberts

  Intelligent, Design, Gaps

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• A man practices the art of adventure when he heroically faces up to life. When he has the daring to open doors to new experiences. When he is unafraid of new ideas, new theories and new philosophies. When he has the curiosity to experiment. When he breaks the chain of routine.

  Wilferd Peterson

  Life, Art, Philosophy

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• The entire annals of Observation probably do not elsewhere exhibit so extraordinary a verification of any theoretical conjecture adventured on by the human spirit!

  John Pringle Nichol

  Adventure, Science, Spirit

  John Pringle Nichol (1848). “The planet Neptune: an exposition and history”, p.90

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• Theories have been outgrown. The means is disappearing, the reality of the sensation alone remains. It is that in its essence which I wish to put down. It should be a delightful adventure.

  Arthur Dove

  Adventure, Mean, Reality

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• Nothing is more clear than that Christ cannot be explained by any humanistic system. He does not fit into any theory of natural evolution, for in that case the perfect flower of humanity should have appeared at the end of human history and not in the middle of it.

  Loraine Boettner

  Christian, Jesus, Flower

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• The true theory of our Constitution is surely the wisest and best, that the states are independent as to everything within themselves and united as to everything respecting foreign nations. Let the general government be reduced to foreign concerns only.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Independent, Government, Liberty

  Thomas Jefferson (2010). “The Works of Thomas Jefferson, Vol. IX (in 12 Volumes)”, p.140, Cosimo, Inc.

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• Regarding homophobia in general, the good news is that there is a lot less of it than there used to be. The bad news is that it ever existed in the first place, and the worse news is that it remains far stronger than is healthy for a society dedicated in theory to equality under the law.

  Barney Frank

  Equality Under The Law, Justice, Diversity

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• Since the most important element of any concept is that its originating question be appropriately framed, any theory demanding an explanation for homosexuality is a problematic one because it maintains our existence as a category of deviance. I mean, no one is running around trying to figure out why some people like sports, for example.

  Sarah Schulman

  Sports, Running, Mean

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• In less than eight years "The Origin of Species" has produced conviction in the minds of a majority of the most eminent living men of science. New facts, new problems, new difficulties as they arise are accepted, solved, or removed by this theory; and its principles are illustrated by the progress and conclusions of every well established branch of human knowledge.

  Alfred Russel Wallace

  Knowledge, Science, Acceptance

  Alfred Russel Wallace (2016). “Contributions to the Theory of Natural Selection: A Series of Essays”, p.42, Library of Alexandria

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• The history of acceptance of new theories frequently shows the following steps: At first the new idea is treated as pure nonsense, not worth looking at. Then comes a time when a multitude of contradictory objections are raised, such as: the new theory is too fancy, or merely a new terminology; it is not fruitful, or simply wrong. Finally a state is reached when everyone seems to claim that he had always followed this theory. This usually marks the last state before general acceptance.

  Kurt Lewin

  Science, Acceptance, Ideas

  Kurt Lewin (1951). “Field Theory in Social Science: Selected Theoretical Papers”, New York : Harper

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• The mathematical framework of quantum theory has passed countless successful tests and is now universally accepted as a consistent and accurate description of all atomic phenomena. The verbal interpretation, on the other hand - i.e., the metaphysics of quantum theory - is on far less solid ground. In fact, in more than forty years physicists have not been able to provide a clear metaphysical model.

  Fritjof Capra

  Science, Acceptance, Successful

  "The Tao of Physics". Book by Fritjof Capra, 1975.

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• When I noticed how my own children were effortlessly able to use all this sophisticated technology, at first I thought, 'My children are prodigies!' But then I noticed all their friends were like them, so that was a bad theory.

  Don Tapscott

  Children, Technology, Use

  Interview with Sean Wise, www.theglobeandmail.com. April 19, 2007.

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