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Benjamin Franklin Quotes about Science

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Whoever would overthrow the liberty of a nation must begin by subduing the freeness of speech.

Whoever would overthrow the liberty of a nation must begin by subduing the freeness of speech.

Benjamin Franklin
Freedom, Independent, Science
Andrew M. Allison, Willard Cleon Skousen, M. Richard Maxfield, Benjamin Franklin (1982). “The Real Benjamin Franklin”

He's the best physician that knows the worthlessness of most medicines.

Benjamin Franklin
Healing, Health, Science
"Benjamin Franklin Wit and Wisdom".

Let the experiment be made.

Benjamin Franklin
Science, Made, Experiments
Benjamin Franklin, Edmund Sears Morgan (2007). “Not Your Usual Founding Father: Selected Readings from Benjamin Franklin”, p.113, Yale University Press

A Man of Knowledge like a rich Soil, feeds If not a world of Corn, a world of Weeds.

Benjamin Franklin
Weed, Knowledge, Science
Benjamin Franklin (1987). “Poor Richard's Almanack: Being the Choicest Morsels of Wisdom, Written During the Years of the Almanack's Publication”, p.22, Peter Pauper Press, Inc.

What is the use of a new-born child ?

Benjamin Franklin
Children, Science, Purpose
On being asked what was the use of a new invention, in J. Parton 'Life and Times of Benjamin Franklin' (1864) pt. 4, ch. 17

A new truth is a truth, an old error is an error.

Benjamin Franklin
Truth, Science, Errors
Benjamin Franklin (1849). “Poor Richard's almanac for 1850-52”, p.33

Some men grow mad by studying much to know, But who grows mad by studying good to grow.

Benjamin Franklin
Knowledge, Science, Men
Benjamin Franklin (2004). “Poor Richard's Almanack”, p.18, Barnes & Noble Publishing

Certainlie these things agree, The Priest, the Lawyer, & Death all three: Death takes both the weak and the strong. The lawyer takes from both right and wrong, And the priest from living and dead has his Fee.

Benjamin Franklin
Death, Strong, Science
Poor Richard's Almanack, July 1737

A fat kitchin, a lean Will.

Benjamin Franklin
Food, Science, Kitchen
Benjamin Franklin, Ormond Seavey (1998). “Autobiography and Other Writings”, p.276, Oxford University Press, USA

I have never seen the Philosopher's Stone that turns lead into Gold, but I have known the pursuit of it turn a Man's Gold into Lead.

Benjamin Franklin
Knowledge, Science, Men
Benjamin Franklin (2008). “The Way to Wealth and Poor Richard's Almanac”, p.24, Nayika Publishing

And we daily in our experiments electrise bodies plus or minus, as we think proper. [These terms we may use till your Philosophers give us better.] To electrise plus or minus, no more needs to be known than this, that the parts of the Tube or Sphere, that are rubb'd, do, in the Instant of Friction, attract the Electrical Fire, and therefore take it from the Thin rubbing; the same parts immediately, as the Friction upon them ceases, are disposed to give the fire they have received, to any Body that has less.

Benjamin Franklin
Science, Thinking, Fire

An iron rod being placed on the outside of a building from the highest part continued down into the moist earth, in any direction strait or crooked, following the form of the roof or other parts of the building, will receive the lightning at its upper end, attracting it so as to prevent it's striking any other part; and, affording it a good conveyance into the earth, will prevent its damaging any part of the building.

Benjamin Franklin
Science, Iron, Lightning
Benjamin Franklin, Edmund Sears Morgan (2007). “Not Your Usual Founding Father: Selected Readings from Benjamin Franklin”, p.119, Yale University Press

Wouldst thou enjoy a long Life, a healthy Body, and a vigorous Mind, and be acquainted also with the wonderful Works of God? labour in the first place to bring thy Appetite into Subjection to Reason.

Benjamin Franklin
Hard Work, Health, Science
Benjamin Franklin (2004). “Poor Richard's Almanack”, p.102, Barnes & Noble Publishing

Use now and then a little Exercise a quarter of an Hour before Meals, as to swing a Weight, or swing your Arms about with a small Weight in each Hand; to leap, or the like, for that stirs the Muscles of the Breast.

Benjamin Franklin
Health, Exercise, Science
Benjamin Franklin (2004). “Poor Richard's Almanack”, p.102, Barnes & Noble Publishing

I say it is impossible that so sensible a people [citizens of Paris], under such circumstances, should have lived so long by the smoky, unwholesome, and enormously expensive light of candles, if they had really known that they might have had as much pure light of the sun for nothing.

Benjamin Franklin
Science, Light, Should Have

Furnished as all Europe now is with Academies of Science, with nice instruments and the spirit of experiment, the progress of human knowledge will be rapid and discoveries made of which we have at present no conception. I begin to be almost sorry I was born so soon, since I cannot have the happiness of knowing what will be known a hundred years hence.

Benjamin Franklin
Sorry, Nice, Science
1783 Letter to Sir Joseph Banks, President of the Royal Society, 27 Jul.

In going on with these Experiments, how many pretty systems do we build, which we soon find ourselves oblig'd to destroy! If there is no other Use discover'd of Electricity, this, however, is something considerable, that it may help to make a vain Man humble.

Benjamin Franklin
Humble, Science, Men
Benjamin Franklin (1972). “Benjamin Franklin: a biography in his own words”

What science can there be more noble, more excellent, more useful for men, more admirably high and demonstrative, than this of mathematics?

Benjamin Franklin
Education, Science, Math
Benjamin Franklin, Jared Sparks (1836). “Works: containing several political and historical tracts not included in any former edition ...”, p.69

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