Arthur Eddington Quotes

United Kingdom, Astronomer
December 28, 1882 – November, 22, 1944.

Sir Arthur Stanley Eddington OM FRS (28 December 1882 – 22 November 1944) was an English astronomer, physicist, and mathematician of the early 20th century who did his greatest work in astrophysics. He was also a philosopher of science and a populariser of science. The Eddington limit, the natural limit to the luminosity of stars, or the radiation generated by accretion onto a compact object, is named in his honour.

Also known as Physician, Mathematician

I think it is not irreligion but a tidiness of mind, which rebels against the idea of permeating scientific research with a religious implication.

Arthur Eddington
- Mind
- Religious
We are no longer tempted to condemn the spiritual aspects of our nature as illusory because of their lack of concreteness.

Arthur Eddington
- Nature
- Spiritual

You will understand the true spirit neither of science nor of religion unless seeking is placed in the forefront.

Arthur Eddington
- True
- Science
It is also a good rule not to put overmuch confidence in the observational results that are put forward until they are confirmed by theory.

Arthur Eddington
- Good
- Confidence
The exploration of the external world by the methods of physical science leads not to a concrete reality but to a shadow world of symbols, beneath which those methods are unadapted for penetrating.

Arthur Eddington
- World
- Science
- Reality
The problem of experiences is not limited to the interpretation of sense-impressions.

Arthur Eddington
We have travelled far from the standpoint which identifies the real with the concrete. Even the older philosophy found it necessary to admit exceptions; for example, time must be admitted to be real, although no one could attribute to it a concrete nature.

Arthur Eddington
- Time
- Real
- Nature
The mathematics is not there till we put it there.

Arthur Eddington

Our environment may and should mean something towards us which is not to be measured with the tools of the physicist or described by the metrical symbols of the mathematician.

Arthur Eddington
- May
- Environment
pp. 90–92

Arthur Eddington
Even if religion and morality are dismissed as illusion, the word 'Ought' still has sway.

Arthur Eddington
The quest of the absolute leads into the four-dimensional world.

Arthur Eddington
- World
At terrestrial temperatures matter has complex properties which are likely to prove most difficult to unravel; but it is reasonable to hope that in the not too distant future we shall be competent to understand so simple a thing as a star.

Arthur Eddington
- Hope
- Future
- Simple
Physics most strongly insists that its methods do not penetrate behind the symbolism.

Arthur Eddington