Michael Faraday
Discovered electromagnetic induction and electrolysis laws
Most quoted
"The world little knows how many of the thoughts and theories which have passed through the mind of a scientific investigator have been crushed in silence and secrecy by his own severe criticism and negative examination; that in the most seemingly arrogant, the most regular and self-sustained investigator, the most patient and laborious inquirer, there is often a feeling of powerlessness and despair."
— from On the Various Forces of Nature, 1849
"I am no longer my own, but thine. Put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt. Put me to doing, put me to suffering. Let me be employed for thee or laid aside for thee, exalted for thee or brought low for thee. Let me be full, let me be empty. Let me have all things, let me have nothing. I freely and heartily yield all things to thy pleasure and disposal."
— from Personal prayer/meditation
"I will simply express my strong belief, that that point of self-education which consists in teaching the mind to resist its desires and inclinations, until they are proved to be right, is the most important of all, not only in things of natural philosophy, but in every department of daily life."
— from Lecture on Mental Education, 1854
All quotes by Michael Faraday (646)
The beauty of experiment is that it can be repeated.
I have been so much occupied with my own experiments that I have had no time to attend to those of others.
The quantity of electricity which can be obtained from a single spark is so small that it is scarcely perceptible.
The most important discovery I have made is that there is no such thing as an unimportant discovery.
The world is full of wonders, but they are not always visible to the naked eye.
I am not afraid of the word 'impossible.'
The greatest discovery of all is that we are all connected.
The true philosopher is a man who is always learning.
I have always been a lover of nature, and I have always found her to be a most agreeable companion.
The only way to do great work is to love what you do.
The man who is afraid of making a mistake will never make a discovery.
I am not a man of many words, but I hope that my actions will speak for themselves.
The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and science.
The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge.
I have always been a firm believer in the power of observation.
The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page.
The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.
I am not a genius, I am just a curious man.
The most exciting phrase to hear in science, the one that heralds new discoveries, is not 'Eureka!' but 'That's funny...'
The scientist is not a person who gives the right answers, he's one who asks the right questions.
Contemporaries of Michael Faraday
Other Physicss born within 50 years of Michael Faraday (1791–1867).