Henri Poincare Quotes about Science - Page 2

In one word, to draw the rule from experience, one must generalize; this is a necessity that imposes itself on the most circumspect observer.

In one word, to draw the rule from experience, one must generalize; this is a necessity that imposes itself on the most circumspect observer.

Henri Poincare

Science, Experience, Observation

The advance of science is not comparable to the changes of a city, where old edifices are pitilessly torn down to give place to new, but to the continuous evolution of zoologic types which develop ceaselessly and end by becoming unrecognisable to the common sight, but where an expert eye finds always traces of the prior work of the centuries past. One must not think then that the old-fashioned theories have been sterile and vain.

Henri Poincare

Eye, Science, Past

Henri Poincare (2012). “The Value of Science: Essential Writings of Henri Poincare”, p.328, Modern Library

For a long time the objects that mathematicians dealt with were mostly ill-defined; one believed one knew them, but one represented them with the senses and imagination; but one had but a rough picture and not a precise idea on which reasoning could take hold.

Henri Poincare

Science, Ideas, Long

If we wish to foresee the future of mathematics, our proper course is to study the history and present condition of the science.

Henri Poincare

Science, History, Wish

It may be appropriate to quote a statement of Poincare, who said (partly in jest no doubt) that there must be something mysterious about the normal law since mathematicians think it is a law of nature whereas physicists are convinced that it is a mathematical theorem.

Henri Poincare

Science, Thinking, Law

I then began to study arithmetical questions without any great apparent result, and without suspecting that they could have the least connexion with my previous researches. Disgusted at my want of success, I went away to spend a few days at the seaside, and thought of entirely different things. One day, as I was walking on the cliff, the idea came to me, again with the same characteristics of conciseness, suddenness, and immediate certainty, that arithmetical transformations of indefinite ternary quadratic forms are identical with those of non-Euclidian geometry.

Henri Poincare

Success, Science, Ideas

Henri Poincare (2012). “The Value of Science: Essential Writings of Henri Poincare”, p.649, Modern Library

All the scientist creates in a fact is the language in which he enunciates it. If he predicts a fact, he will employ this language, and for all those who can speak and understand it, his prediction is free from ambiguity. Moreover, this prediction once made, it evidently does not depend upon him whether it is fulfilled or not.

Henri Poincare

Freedom, Science, Understanding

Henri Poincare (2012). “The Value of Science: Essential Writings of Henri Poincare”, p.547, Modern Library

All that we can hope from these inspirations, which are the fruits of unconscious work, is to obtain points of departure for such calculations. As for the calculations themselves, they must be made in the second period of conscious work which follows the inspiration, and in which the results of the inspiration are verified and the consequences deduced.‎

Henri Poincare

Inspiration, Hard Work, Science

Henri Poincare (2012). “The Value of Science: Essential Writings of Henri Poincare”, p.660, Modern Library

Every phenomenon, however trifling it be, has a cause, and a mind infinitely powerful, and infinitely well-informed concerning the laws of nature could have foreseen it from the beginning of the ages. If a being with such a mind existed, we could play no game of chance with him; we should always lose.

Henri Poincare

Powerful, Science, Law

Geometry is not true, it is advantageous.

Henri Poincare

Truth, Science, Mathematical

A very small cause, which escapes us, determines a considerable effect which we cannot ignore, and we say that this effect is due to chance.

Henri Poincare

Science, Causes, Chance

It is a misfortune for a science to be born too late when the means of observation have become too perfect. That is what is happening at this moment with respect to physical chemistry; the founders are hampered in their general grasp by third and fourth decimal places.

Henri Poincare

Mean, Science, Perfect

Henri Poincare (2012). “The Value of Science: Essential Writings of Henri Poincare”, p.236, Modern Library