Lord Kelvin
Formulated the first and second laws of thermodynamics and proposed the absolute temperature scale.
Most quoted
"I often say that when you can measure what you are speaking about, and express it in numbers, you know something about it; but when you cannot measure it, when you cannot express it in numbers, your knowledge is of a meagre and unsatisfactory kind; it may be the beginning of knowledge, but you have scarcely, in your thoughts, advanced to the stage of science, whatever the matter may be."
— from Popular Lectures and Addresses, Vol. I, 1883
"When you can measure what you are speaking about, and express it in numbers, you know something about it; but when you cannot measure it, when you cannot express it in numbers, your knowledge is of a meagre and unsatisfactory kind: it may be the beginning of knowledge, but you have scarcely, in your thoughts, advanced to the stage of science, whatever the matter may be."
— from Popular Lectures and Addresses, Vol. I, 1883
"I often say that when you can measure what you are speaking about, and express it in numbers, you know something about it; but when you cannot measure it, when you cannot express it in numbers, your knowledge is of a meagre and unsatisfactory kind; it may be the beginning of knowledge, but you have scarcely in your thoughts advanced to the stage of a science."
— from Speech, 1889
All quotes by Lord Kelvin (356)
The world is full of magic things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper.
To be conscious is to be aware of one's own existence.
Life is a journey, not a destination.
Death is not the end, but a new beginning.
The meaning of life is to give life meaning.
Truth is a torch that gleams through the fog without dispelling it.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
The human condition is one of constant struggle and triumph.
We are all connected, like threads in a tapestry.
The universe is a vast and mysterious place, full of wonders.
To live is to suffer, to survive is to find some meaning in the suffering.
The only thing certain in life is death.
Consciousness is the greatest mystery of all.
The search for truth is a lifelong journey.
Beauty is a reflection of the divine.
The human spirit is indomitable.
We are but dust and shadows, yet we dream of eternity.
The universe is a grand design, a testament to a higher power.
The purpose of life is to grow and evolve.
To truly live, one must embrace both joy and sorrow.
Contemporaries of Lord Kelvin
Other Physicss born within 50 years of Lord Kelvin (1824–1907).