Quote#Nature
Is a physical force, such as the attraction of earth, analogous to…
Quote byWilliam Kingdon Clifford · 1845–1879
Commonly attributed — not confirmed in an authoritative edition. Cited on Wikiquote to: "Energy and Force" (Mar 28, 1873).
English (original)
Is a physical force, such as the attraction of earth, analogous to our "exertion of force" in muscular work? No, for the sensation of muscular effort is complicated. It involves nerve and muscle, which we know not to be present in the simpler cases, e.g., the motion of a stone let fall. To talk of pushing or pulling in such a case is a personification of external nature.
— William Kingdon Clifford
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