Quote#Politics & Power
However closely we may associate thought with the physical machinery…
Quote byArthur Eddington · 1882–1944
Commonly attributed — not confirmed in an authoritative edition. Cited on Wikiquote to: Science and the Unseen World (1929).
English (original)
However closely we may associate thought with the physical machinery of the brain, the connection is dropped as irrelevant as soon as we consider the fundamental property of thought — that it may be correct or incorrect. … that involves recognising a domain of the other type of law — laws which ought to be kept, but may be broken.
— Arthur Eddington
More from Arthur Eddington
At terrestrial temperatures matter has complex properties which are likely to prove most difficult to unravel; but it is reasonable to hope that in the not too distant future we shall be competent to understand so simple a thing as a star.
We do not argue with the critic who urges that the stars are not hot enough for this process; we tell him to go and find a hotter place.
The present revolution of scientific thought follows in natural sequence on the great revolutions at earlier epochs in the history of science
These earlier revolutions are still a source of perplexity in childhood, which we soon outgrow; and a time will come when Einstein's amazing revelations have likewise sunk into the commonplaces of educated thought.
Physics has in the main contented itself with studying the abridged edition of the book of nature.
A star is drawing on some vast reservoir of energy by means unknown to us. This reservoir can scarcely be other than the sub-atomic energy which, it is known, exists abundantly in all matter; we sometimes dream that man will one day learn …