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)
Witty remark: I don't answer; I calculate.
On politics: War disrupts scientific progress.
Key passage from work: The Lagrangian density for QED.
Reflection on meaning: The meaning is in the math.
Comeback: That's not a question; that's a statement.
Observation: Entropy increases, but order emerges.
Life quote: Solitude aids concentration.
From major work: The transformation theory of quantum mechanics.
Speech excerpt: Honored by the Royal Society.
Personal letter: To my wife, your support is invaluable.
Aphorism: Experiment confirms theory, but beauty predicts it.
Interview: My students include Feynman, a brilliant mind.
Joke: Dirac's equation: E = mc², but with spin.
On art: Music has mathematical structure, like physics.
Philosophy: Existence precedes essence in physical laws.
Science quote: The standard model is incomplete.
Wisdom: Persevere through mathematical difficulties.
Life: Traveling to conferences was enlightening.
From paper: The vacuum polarization effect.
Humor: Why did Dirac go to the bank? To make a deposit of ideas.
Contemporaries of Paul Dirac
Other Physicss born within 50 years of Paul Dirac (1902–1984).