A theory with mathematical beauty is more likely to be correct than an ugly one that fits some experimental data. Paul Dirac More Quotes by Paul Dirac More Quotes From Paul Dirac I consider that I understand an equation when I can predict the properties of its solutions, without actually solving it. Paul Dirac equations understanding science The aim of science is to make difficult things understandable in a simpler way; the aim of poetry is to state simple things in an incomprehensible way. The two are incompatible. Paul Dirac simple two way God used beautiful mathematics in creating the world. Paul Dirac creating god beautiful I do not see how a man can work on the frontiers of physics and write poetry at the same time. They are in opposition. In science you want to say something that nobody knew before, in words which everyone can understand. In poetry you are bound to say ... something that everyone knows already in words that nobody can understand. Paul Dirac poetry writing men Pick a flower on Earth and you move the farthest star. Paul Dirac stars inspirational life Living is worthwhile if one can contribute in some small way to this endless chain of progress. Paul Dirac progress chains way If we are honest - and scientists have to be - we must admit that religion is a jumble of false assertions, with no basis in reality. Paul Dirac atheism reality religion If there is a God, he's a great mathematician. Paul Dirac if-there-is-a-god ifs math A termination of one's life is necessary in the scheme of things to provide a logical reason for unselfishness. . . . The fact that there is an end to one's life compels one to take an interest in things that will continue to live after one is dead. Paul Dirac life-is reason facts A physical law must possess mathematical beauty. Paul Dirac mathematical-beauty mathematical law The fundamental laws necessary for the mathematical treatment of a large part of physics and the whole of chemistry are thus completely known, and the difficulty lies only in the fact that application of these laws leads to equations that are too complex to be solved. Paul Dirac law science lying One could perhaps describe the situation by saying that God is a mathematician of a very high order, and He used very advanced mathematics in constructing the universe. Paul Dirac mathematics used order It is more important to have beauty in one's equations than to have them fit experiment. Paul Dirac mathematical-equations fit important The measure of greatness in a scientific idea is the extent to which it stimulates thought and opens up new lines of research. Paul Dirac greatness research ideas Scientific progress is measured in units of courage, not intelligence. Paul Dirac scientific-progress units progress When [Erwin Schrödinger] went to the Solvay conferences in Brussels, he would walk from the station to the hotel where the delegates stayed, carrying all his luggage in a rucksack and looking so like a tramp that it needed a great deal of argument at the reception desk before he could claim a room. Paul Dirac biographies science rooms What makes the theory of relativity so acceptable to physicists in spite of its going against the principle of simplicity is its great mathematical beauty. This is a quality which cannot be defined, any more than beauty in art can be defined, but which people who study mathematics usually have no difficulty in appreciating. Paul Dirac appreciate people art Mathematics is the tool specially suited for dealing with abstract concepts of any kind and there is no limit to its power in this field. Paul Dirac tools power math I found the best ideas usually came, not when one was actively striving for them, but when one was in a more relaxed state… I used to take long solitary walks on Sundays, during which I tended to review the current situation in a leisurely way. Such occasions often proved fruitful, even though (or perhaps, because) the primary purpose of the walk was relaxation and not research. Paul Dirac sunday long ideas It was not until some weeks later that I realized there is no need to restrict oneself to 2 by 2 matrices. One could go on to 4 by 4 matrices, and the problem is then easily soluable. In retrospect, it seems strange that one can be so much held up over such an elementary point. The resulting wave equation for the electron turned out to be very successful. It led to correct values for the spin and the magnetic moment. This was quite unexpected. The work all followed from a study of pretty mathematics, without any thought being given to these physical properties of the electron. Paul Dirac successful goes-on discovery
