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)
Humor: Dirac walks into a bar; the bartender says, 'Why so quiet?'
Wisdom: Learn from failures as much as successes.
Science: Black holes emit radiation, theoretically.
Art: Sculpture captures form, math captures function.
Politics: Peace enables scientific advancement.
Observation: The Higgs mechanism completes the standard model.
Life meaning: To unravel the fabric of reality.
Professional: My Lucasian chair was an honor.
Aphorism: Elegance over complexity in theories.
Joke: What's Dirac's favorite drink? A square root beer.
Philosophy: Consciousness emerges from quantum processes.
Wisdom: Patience is essential in theoretical work.
Correspondence excerpt: To Fermi, your nuclear work is groundbreaking.
Reflection: The thrill of a correct prediction.
Science passage: The relativistic wave equation iℏ ∂ψ/∂t = (c α · p + β m c²) ψ.
Humor: Dirac's response to 'How's the weather?' 'Variable.'
Art: Literature explores human, physics explores universal.
Politics: Science for humanity, not war.
Professional: The Trieste lectures on quantum field theory.
Life: My move to Florida was for warmth.
Contemporaries of Paul Dirac
Other Physicss born within 50 years of Paul Dirac (1902–1984).