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)
Mathematics is the language of nature.
The universe is a mathematical universe.
The human mind is capable of understanding the most profound mysteries of the universe.
The pursuit of knowledge is a lifelong journey.
The greatest discoveries in science are often made by accident.
The scientific method is the most reliable way to acquire knowledge.
Symmetry is a very important concept in physics.
Gauge invariance is a fundamental principle of modern physics.
The Standard Model of particle physics is a very successful theory.
The Higgs boson is a very important particle.
The search for new particles is a very exciting area of research.
Supersymmetry is a very elegant idea, but it has not yet been confirmed by experiment.
The idea of a grand unified theory is a very ambitious one.
The search for extra dimensions is a very speculative area of research.
The concept of a black hole is one of the most fascinating ideas in physics.
The study of black holes is a very active area of research.
The information paradox is a very puzzling problem.
The holographic principle is a very intriguing idea.
The future of theoretical physics is very bright.
The development of new mathematical tools is essential for progress in physics.
Contemporaries of Paul Dirac
Other Physicss born within 50 years of Paul Dirac (1902–1984).