Paul Dirac
Predicted antimatter and formulated Dirac equation
Most quoted
"The underlying physical laws necessary for the mathematical theory of a large part of physics and the whole of chemistry are thus completely known, and the difficulty is only that the exact application of these laws leads to equations much too complicated to be soluble. It is the purpose of theoretical physics to show that it is possible to derive, from these equations, the properties of the actual world."
— from Proceedings of the Royal Society, 1929
"The methods of progress in theoretical physics have undergone a vast change during the present century. The classical tradition has been to consider the world to be an association of observable objects (particles, fluids, fields, etc.) moving about according to definite laws of force, so that one could form a mental picture in space and time of the whole scheme."
— from Quantised Singularities in the Electromagnetic Field, 1931
"The most powerful method of advance that can be suggested at present is to employ all the resources of pure mathematics in attempts to perfect and generalise the mathematical formalism that forms the existing basis of theoretical physics, and after each success in this direction, to try to interpret the new mathematical features in terms of physical entities."
— from Quantised Singularities in the Electromagnetic Field, 1931
All quotes by Paul Dirac (692)
I don't like it when people say that Dirac is a mathematician. I'm a physicist.
The laws of nature are written in the language of mathematics.
Antimatter is just another form of matter.
I owe much to my father for his encouragement in mathematics.
The universe is a great book, and mathematics is its language.
In my scientific work, I always think in terms of equations.
The feeling of being in the presence of something beautiful is one of the most important things in life.
Quantum field theory is the marriage of quantum mechanics and relativity.
I was always interested in how things work at the fundamental level.
The positron was predicted before it was discovered.
Mathematics is the language with which God has written the universe.
I never accepted Bohr's interpretation of quantum mechanics.
The aim of science is to seek the simplest explanations of complex facts.
My life has been devoted to the study of nature's laws.
The electron's spin was a surprise, but it fit beautifully.
Beauty in equations is a guide to truth.
I find the idea of a supreme being who created the universe quite unnecessary.
The principles of physics do not change with time.
I learned French from my father, but he was strict.
The hole theory explains positive energy states.
Contemporaries of Paul Dirac
Other Physicss born within 50 years of Paul Dirac (1902–1984).