black
grey
blue
red
brown
white

Thoroughly conscious ignorance is the prelude to every real advance in science.

James Clerk Maxwell

The only laws of matter are those that our minds must fabricate and the only laws of mind are fabricated for it by matter.
JAMES CLERK MAXWELL

Law Matter Mind Must Fabricate Only
What’s the go of that? What’s the particular go of that?
JAMES CLERK MAXWELL

Go Particular
I have also a paper afloat, with an electromagnetic theory of light, which, till I am convinced to the contrary, I hold to be great guns.
JAMES CLERK MAXWELL

Also Contrary Convince Greta Gun Hold Paper Theory
At quite uncertain times and places, The atoms left their heavenly path, And by fortuitous embraces, Engendered all that being hath. And though they seem to cling together, And form ‘associations’ here, Yet, soon or late, they burst their tether, And through the depths of space career.
JAMES CLERK MAXWELL

All Place Quite Time Uncertain
We can scarcely avoid the inference that light consists in the transverse undulations of the same medium which is the cause of electric and magnetic phenomena.
JAMES CLERK MAXWELL

Cause Consist Electric Light Magnetic Medium Phenomena Reference Same Scarcely Void
The true Logic for this world is the Calculus of Probabilities, which takes account of the magnitude of the probability.
JAMES CLERK MAXWELL

Account Calculus Logic Magnitude Probability Take True World
The experimental verification of the mathematical results therefore is no evidence for or against the peculiar doctrines of this theory.
JAMES CLERK MAXWELL

Doctrine Evidence Against Experiment Mathematician Result Theory Verification
An Experiment, like every other event which takes place, is a natural phenomenon; but in a Scientific Experiment the circumstances are so arranged that the relations between a particular set of phenomena may be studied to the best advantage.
JAMES CLERK MAXWELL

Arrange Circumstance Early Experience Like Nature Phenomena Place Relation Scientific Take
I have looked into most philosophical systems and I have seen that none will work without God.
JAMES CLERK MAXWELL

God Into Look Most Non Philosophical Seem System
The student who uses home made apparatus, which is always going wrong, often learns more than one who has the use of carefully adjusted instruments, to which he is apt to trust and which he dares not take to pieces.
JAMES CLERK MAXWELL

Always Apparatus Going Home Made Student Use Wrong
My soul is an entangled knot, Upon a liquid vortex wrought By Intellect in the Unseen residing, And thine doth like a convict sit, With marline-spike untwisting it, Only to find its knottiness abiding; Since all the tools for its untying In four-dimensional space are lying,
JAMES CLERK MAXWELL

Convict Entangled Intellect Liquid Marline Ride Soul Spike Unseen Untwisting Votex Wrought
But I think that the results which each man arrives at in his attempts to harmonize his science with his Christianity ought not to be regarded as having any significance except to the man himself, and to him only for a time, and should not receive the stamp of a society.
JAMES CLERK MAXWELL

Attempt Christianity Harmonize Receive Result Science Stamp Think
Every existence above a certain rank has its singular points; the higher the rank the more of them. At these points, influences whose physical magnitude is too small to be taken account of by a finite being may produce results of the greatest importance.
JAMES CLERK MAXWELL

Above Certain Every Existence Influence Magnitude More Physical Point Rank Singular Them These
I have the capacity of being more wicked than any example that man could set me.
JAMES CLERK MAXWELL

Capacity Example Man More Set Wick
Wherein they fancy intersperses Long avenues of universes, While Klein and Clifford fill the void With one finite, unbounded homoloid, And think the Infinite is now at last destroyed.
JAMES CLERK MAXWELL

Avenue Country Destroy Fancy Infinite Long People Person Think Unbound Universe
In Science, it is when we take some interest in the great discoverers and their lives that it becomes endurable, and only when we begin to trace the development of ideas that it becomes fascinating.
JAMES CLERK MAXWELL

Endurable Great Interest Live Science Siccovery Some Take

Thoroughly conscious ignorance is the prelude to every real advance in science.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

Thoroughly conscious ignorance is the prelude to every real advance in science.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

More James Clerk Maxwell Quotes