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Quotes from Physics and Philosophy — Werner Heisenberg

1901–1976 Germany

← All quotes by Werner Heisenberg

12 quotes

We have to remember that what we observe is not nature herself, but nature exposed to our method of questioning.

Physics and Philosophy (1958)

The existing scientific concepts cover always only a very limited part of reality, and the other part that has not yet been understood is infinite.

Physics and Philosophy (1958)

Any concepts or words which have been formed in the past through the interplay between the world and ourselves are not really sharply defined with respect to their meaning: that is to say, we do not know exactly how far they will help us in finding our way in the world.

Physics and Philosophy (1958)

Can nature possibly be so absurd as it seemed to us in these atomic experiments?

Physics and Philosophy (1958)

Whenever we proceed from the known into the unknown we may hope to understand, but we may have to learn at the same time a new meaning of the word "understanding."

Physics and Philosophy (1958)

Even for the physicist the description in plain language will be the criterion of the degree of understanding that has been reached.

Physics and Philosophy (1958)

Therefore, the mathematical forms that represent the elementary particles will be solutions of some eternal law of motion for matter.

Physics and Philosophy (1958)

The elementary particles are certainly not eternal and indestructible units of matter, they can actually be transformed into each other.

Physics and Philosophy (1958)

The elementary particles in Plato's Timaeus are finally not substance but mathematical forms. "All things are numbers" is a sentence attributed to Pythagoras.

Physics and Philosophy (1958)

Natural science does not simply describe and explain nature; it is part of the interplay between nature and ourselves; it describes nature as exposed to our nature of questioning.

Physics and Philosophy (1958)

The law of causality is no longer applied in quantum theory and the law of conservation of matter is no longer true for the elementary particles.

Physics and Philosophy (1958)

Insistence on the postulate of complete logical clarification would make science impossible. We are reminded... of the old wisdom that one who insists on never uttering an error must remain silent.

Physics and Philosophy (1958)

Attribution

Quotes and notes from Wikiquote: Werner Heisenberg (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0.