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Georg C. Lichtenberg Quotes

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German physicist, inventor, and writer, known for his research in electricity and magnetism. He proposed Lichtenberg's law in electricity and invented various scientific instruments.

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All Men Ifs People Believe Book Science Thinking Littles Mind World Knows Should Humans Writing Way Ideas Might Reason Inspirational Philosophy

Famous Georg C. Lichtenberg Quotes

“Non cogitant, ergo non sunt.”

Science

Author:Georg C. Lichtenberg

“The construction of the universe is certainly very much easier to explain than is that of the plant.”

Science Universe Easier Plant Construction

Author:Georg C. Lichtenberg

“The most heated defenders of a science, who cannot endure the slightest sneer at it, are commonly those who have not made very much progress in it and are secretly aware of this defect.”

Made Science Secret Progress Accounts Endure Defects Defenders Sneer

Author:Georg C. Lichtenberg

“The more experiences and experiments accumulate in the exploration of nature, the more precarious the theories become. But it is not always good to discard them immediately on this account. For every hypothesis which once was sound was useful for thinking of previous phenomena in the proper interrelations and for keeping them in context. We ought to set down contradictory experiences separately, until enough have accumulated to make building a new structure worthwhile.”

Thinking Enough Science Sound Nature Building Theory Ought Accounts Structure Experiments Exploration Worthwhile Hypothesis Contradictory Precarious

Author:Georg C. Lichtenberg

“To see every day how people get the name 'genius' just as the wood-lice in the cellar the name 'millipede'-not because they have that many feet, but because most people don't want to count to 14-this has had the result that I don't believe anyone any more without checking.”

People Want Believe Truth Science Names Results Feet Genius Don't Believe Woods Measurement Cellars Lice

Author:Georg C. Lichtenberg

“The natural scientists of the previous age knew less than we do and believed they were very close to the goal: we have taken very great steps in its direction and now discover we are still very far away from it. With the most rational philosophers an increase in their knowledge is always attended by an increased conviction of their ignorance.”

Stills Age Science Goal Natural Steps Taken Progress Ignorance Scientist Increase Philosopher Conviction Rational Far Away

Author:Georg C. Lichtenberg

“The great rule: If the little bit you have is nothing special in itself, at least find a way of saying it that is a little bit special.”

Ifs Way Littles Science Bits Special Talent Little Bit

Author:Georg C. Lichtenberg

“A good method of discovery is to imagine certain members of a system removed and then see how what is left would behave: for example, where would we be if iron were absent from the world: this is an old example.”

Ifs World Science Certain Left Imagine Example Members Discovery Method Behave Iron Absent

Author:Georg C. Lichtenberg

“Above all things expand the frontiers of science: without this the rest counts for nothing.”

Science All Things Accounts Frontiers

Author:Georg C. Lichtenberg

“There is no greater impediment to progress in the sciences than the desire to see it take place too quickly.”

Science Desire Greater Progress Accounts Impediments Speech Impediment

Author:Georg C. Lichtenberg

“What we have to discover for ourselves leaves behind in our mind a pathway that can be used on another occasion.”

Mind Science Used Behinds Discovery Occasions Pathways

Author:Georg C. Lichtenberg

“Imagine the world so greatly magnified that particles of light look like twenty-four-pound cannon balls.”

World Looks Light Science Four Imagine Balls Twenties Pounds Particles Cannons

Author:Georg C. Lichtenberg

“He marvelled at the fact that the cats had two holes cut in their fur at precisely the spot where their eyes were.”

Two Facts Eye Science Cutting Cat Holes Spots Fur

Author:Georg C. Lichtenberg

“Do not say hypothesis, and even less theory: say way of thinking.”

Thinking Way Science Theory Hypothesis Way Of Thinking

Author:Georg C. Lichtenberg

“We often have need of a profound philosophy to restore to our feelings their original state of innocence, to find our way out of the rubble of things alien to us, to begin to feel for ourselves and to speak ourselves, and I might almost say to exist ourselves.”

Way Needs Feels States Philosophy Feelings Might Science Speak Originals Profound Philosopher Aliens Innocence Rubble

Author:Georg C. Lichtenberg

“They do not think, therefore they are not.”

Thinking Science

Author:Georg C. Lichtenberg

“We have to believe that everything has a cause, as the spider spins its web in order to catch flies. But it does this before it knows there are such things as flies.”

Knows Believe Doe Science Order Causes Spiders

Author:Georg C. Lichtenberg

“How might letters be most efficiently copied so that the blind might read them with their fingers?”

Might Science Letters Blind Fingers Invention

Author:Georg C. Lichtenberg

“One has to do something new in order to see something new.”

Science Order Something New

Author:Georg C. Lichtenberg

“It is astonishing how much the word infinitely is misused: everything is infinitely more beautiful, infinitely better, etc. The concept must have something pleasing about it, or its misuse could not have become so general.”

Beautiful Science Pleasure Concepts Etc Astonishing Misuse Misused

Author:Georg C. Lichtenberg

About the Author

Born: July 1, 1742
Died: February 24, 1799
Known for: Author
Quotes: 334

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