Wilhelm Ostwald
He made significant contributions to catalysis, chemical equilibria, and reaction velocities, winning the Nobel Prize in Chemistry.
Most quoted
"All scientific work is incomplete — whether it be observational or experimental. All scientific work is liable to be upset or modified by advancing knowledge. That does not confer upon us a freedom to ignore the knowledge we already have, or to postpone the action that it appears to demand at a given time."
— from Essays
"The true method of discovery is like the flight of an aeroplane. It starts from the ground of particular observation; it makes a flight in the thin air of imaginative generalization; and it again lands for renewed observation rendered acute by rational interpretation."
— from The Philosophy of Science
"The laws of thermodynamics control, in the last resort, the rise and fall of political systems, the freedom or bondage of nations, the movements of commerce and industry, the origins of wealth and poverty, and the general physical welfare of the human race."
— from Der energetische Imperativ, 1912
All quotes by Wilhelm Ostwald (387)
The history of science is a testament to the power of the human mind.
The scientific enterprise is a collective effort.
The true scientist is a seeker of truth.
The scientific method is a continuous process of refinement.
The universe is a vast and complex system, but it is ultimately understandable.
The scientist must be a careful observer.
The most important discoveries are often made at the intersection of different fields of study.
The history of science is a story of progress and innovation.
The scientific community is a vital part of human society.
The true scientist is a lifelong learner.
The scientific method is a powerful tool for solving problems.
The universe is full of wonders, waiting to be discovered.
The scientist must be a clear communicator.
The most important discoveries are often made by those who are not afraid to fail.
The world is a great laboratory, and we are its experimenters.
Energy is the only reality.
Science is the effort to reduce the world to a system of laws.
The greatest joy of a scientist is to discover something new, to open a new door.
Chemistry is the science of transformations.
The future belongs to those who can think in terms of energy.
Contemporaries of Wilhelm Ostwald
Other Chemistrys born within 50 years of Wilhelm Ostwald (1853–1932).