Quote#Time
Previous to the time of Pascal, who would have thought of measuring…
Quote byWilliam Stanley Jevons · 1835–1882
Commonly attributed — not confirmed in an authoritative edition. Cited on Wikiquote to: The Theory of Political Economy (1871), Chapter I, Introduction, p. 41..
English (original)
Previous to the time of Pascal, who would have thought of measuring doubt and belief? Who could have conceived that the investigation of petty games of chance would have led to the most sublime branch of mathematical science - the theory of probabilities?
— William Stanley Jevons
More from William Stanley Jevons
At school and college the success in the classes was the only indication of my powers. All else that I intended or did was within or carefully hidden. The reserved character, as I have often thought, is not pleasant nor lovely. But is it …
You will perceive that economy, scientifically speaking, is a very contracted science; it is in fact a sort of vague mathematics which calculates the causes and effects of man's industry, and shows how it may be best applied.
When quite young I can remember I had no thought or wish of surpassing others. I was rather taken with a liking of little arts and bits of learning.
A vague desire and determination grew upon me.
Logic is not only an exact science, but is the most simple and elementary of all sciences; it ought therefore undoubtedly to find some place in every course of education.
For my own part I felt it to be almost presumptuous to pronounce to myself the hopes I held and the schemes I formed. Time alone could reveal whether they were empty or real; only when proved real could they be known to others.