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)
Science passage: The Fermi-Dirac statistics for fermions.
Interview: On climate, physics can model it.
Life quote: Family is the foundation.
Witty remark: I calculate, therefore I am.
Philosophy: The laws are simple, the applications complex.
Wisdom: Collaborate but think independently.
Art: Physics is the most beautiful of the arts.
Politics: Education in science for all nations.
Science: Quantum gravity remains the holy grail.
Life: Contentment in a life of discovery.
Professional: The Dirac medal honors theoretical physics.
Aphorism: Beauty endures, ugliness fades.
Humor: Dirac's autobiography is shorter than his equations.
Wisdom: The greatest discoveries are unexpected.
Reflection: I leave behind a world more understood.
Science: The search for a theory of everything continues.
It seems that if one is working from the point of view of getting beauty in one's equations, and if one has really a sound insight, one is on a sure line of progress.
A physical theory must be of a type that can be expressed mathematically.
The most powerful method of advance that can be used is to employ all the resources of pure mathematics in the elucidation of the problem and then to try to interpret the mathematical results in terms of physics.
The world is a four-dimensional continuum, and it is only because our consciousness is of a three-dimensional nature that we have the idea of time flowing.
Contemporaries of Paul Dirac
Other Physicss born within 50 years of Paul Dirac (1902–1984).