“The physicist may be satisfied when he has the mathematical scheme and knows how to use for the interpretation of the experiments. But he has to speak about his results also to non-physicists who will not be satisfied unless some explanation is given in plain language. Even for the physicist the description in plain language will be the criterion of the degree of understanding that has been reached.” KnowsMayHas BeensPhilosophyUseSpeakLanguageGivenUnderstandingResultsKnow HowDegreesPhysicsExperimentsSatisfiedMathematicalExplanationDescriptionInterpretationSchemesPhysicistCriteriaPlain Language Author:Werner Heisenberg
“Every word or concept, clear as it may seem to be, has only a limited range of applicability.” MaySeemsClearConceptsRange Author:Werner Heisenberg
“You may object that by speaking of simplicity and beauty I am introducing aesthetic criteria of truth, and I frankly admit that I am strongly attracted by the simplicity and beauty of mathematical schemes which nature presents us. You must have felt this too: the almost frightening simplicity and wholeness of the relationship, which nature suddenly spreads out before us.” MayTruthScienceFeltNatureNaturalObjectsSimplicitySpreadMathematicalAestheticIntroducingFrighteningSchemesWholenessCriteria Author:Werner Heisenberg
“Whenever we proceed from the known to the unkown we may hope to understand, but we may have to learn at the same time a new meaning of the word 'understanding'” MaySpiritualUnderstandingKnown Author:Werner Heisenberg
“The exact sciences also start from the assumption that in the end it will always be possible to understand nature, even in every new field of experience, but that we may make no a priori assumptions about the meaning of the word understand.” MayEndsNatureEnvironmentFieldsEnvironmentalAssumptionExact Sciences Author:Werner Heisenberg
“It is probably true quite generally that in the history of human thinking the most fruitful developments frequently take place at those points where two different lines of thought meet. These lines may have their roots in quite different parts of human nature, in different times or different cultural environments or different religious traditions: hence if they actually meet, that is, if they are at least so much related to each other that a real interaction can take place, then one may hope that new and interesting developments may follow.” IfsThinkingHumansMayTwoDifferentRealReligiousLinesInterestingEnvironmentHuman NatureDevelopmentTraditionRootsRelatedInteractionDifferent TimesReligious Traditions Author:Werner Heisenberg
