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Am I to refuse to eat because I do not fully understand the mechanism of digestion?

— Oliver Heaviside

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Source, in full

This quote cannot be found in Heaviside's corpus, Edge provides no reference, the quote first appears around the 1940s attributed to Heaviside without any references. The quote is actually a composite of a modified sentence from Electromagnetic Theory I (changing 'dinner' to 'eat'), a section header & later sentence from Electromagnetic Theory II, and the paraphrase of Heaviside's views by Carslaw 1928 ("Operational Methods in Mathematical Physics"), respectively

More quotes by Oliver Heaviside

However absurd it may seem, I do in all seriousness hereby declare that I am animated mainly by philanthropic motives. I desire to do good to my fellow creatures, even to the Cui bonos.

Electrical Papers (1882)

Waves from moving sources: Adagio. Andante. Allegro moderato.

Electromagnetic Theory (1912)

If you are different, you had better hide it, and pretend to be solemn and wooden-headed. Until you make your fortune. For most wooden-headed people worship money; and, really, I do not see what else they can do.

Electromagnetic Theory (1912)

We do not dwell in the Palace of Truth. But, as was mentioned to me not long since, "There is a time coming when all things shall be found out." I am not so sanguine myself, believing that the well in which Truth is said to reside is really a bottomless pit.

Electromagnetic Theory (1893)

The following story is true. There was a little boy, and his father said, “Do try to be like other people. Don’t frown.” And he tried and tried, but could not. So his father beat him with a strap; and then he was eaten up by lions.

Electromagnetic Theory (1912)

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Attribution

Quote text and notes from Wikiquote: Oliver Heaviside (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source quality and labels are our own summary of what Wikiquote records.