Natural Philosophy Quotes - Page 2

• There is no more open door by which you can enter into the study of natural philosophy than by considering the physical phenomena of a candle

  Michael Faraday

  Philosophy, Doors, Study

  Michael Faraday (2016). “The Chemical History of a Candle”, p.3, Library of Alexandria

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• Civil Engineering is the art of directing the great sources of Power in Nature for the use and convenience of man; being that practical application of the most important principles of natural Philosophy which has in a considerable degree realized the anticipations of Bacon, and changed the aspect and state of affairs in the whole world. The most important object of Civil Engineering is to improve the means of production and of traffic in states, both for external and internal Trade.

  Thomas Tredgold

  Art, Philosophy, Mean

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• The evil that has resulted from the error of the schools, in teaching natural philosophy as an accomplishment only, has been that of generating in the pupils a species of atheism. Instead of looking through the works of creation to the Creator himself, they stop short, and employ the knowledge they acquire to create doubts of his existence. They labour with studied ingenuity to ascribe every thing they behold to innate properties of matter, and jump over all the rest by saying, that matter is eternal.

  Thomas Paine

  Philosophy, Teaching, School

  Thomas Paine (1830). “The Theological Works of Thomas Paine: To which are Added the Profession of Faith of a Savoyard Vicar”, p.197

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• Painting is a science, and should be pursued as an inquiry into the laws of nature. Why, then, may not landscape painting be considered as a branch of natural philosophy, of which pictures are but the experiments?

  John Constable

  Nature, Philosophy, Science

  John E. Thornes, John Constable (1999). “John Constable's Skies: A Fusion of Art and Science”, p.51, A&C Black

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• It has been the error of the schools to teach astronomy, and all the other sciences, and subjects of natural philosophy, as accomplishments only; whereas they should be taught theologically, or with reference to the Being who is the author of them: for all the principles of science are of divine origin. Man cannot make, or invent, or contrive principles: he can only discover them; and he ought to look through the discovery to the Author.

  Thomas Paine

  Philosophy, School, Men

  Thomas Paine (1859). “The Theological Works ...: The Most Complete Ed. Ever Pub”, p.196

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• Natural Magick is taken to be nothing else, but the chief power of all the natural Sciences; which therefore they call the top and perfection of Natural Philosophy, and which is indeed the active part of the same; which by the assistance of natural forces and faculties, through their mutual & opportune application, performs those things that are above Human Reason.

  Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa

  Philosophy, Taken, Perfection

  Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa von Nettesheim (1676). “The Vanity of Arts and Sciences”, p.110

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• There is a ... matter - much more valuable and divine than natural philosophy . ... On this matter I must speak to you in enigmas.

  Plato

  Philosophy, Matter, Speak

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• In Philosophy, the contemplations of man do either penetrate unto God, or are circumferred to Nature, or are reflected and reverted upon himself. Out of which several inquiries there do arise three knowledges, Divine Philosophy, Natural Philosophy, and Human Philosophy or Humanity. For all things are marked and stamped with this triple character of the power of God, the difference of Nature and the use of Man.

  Francis Bacon

  Philosophy, Knowledge, Character

  Francis Bacon, William Rawley (1863). “Philosophical works”, p.207

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• The arts and sciences, in general, during the three or four last centuries, have had a regular course of progressive improvement. The inventions in mechanic arts, the discoveries in natural philosophy, navigation and commerce, and the advancement of civilization and humanity, have occasioned changes in the condition of the world and the human character which would have astonished the most refined nations of antiquity. A continuation of similar exertions is everyday rendering Europe more and more like one community, or single family.

  John Adams

  Art, Philosophy, Character

  John Adams (2015). “The Works of John Adams Vol. 4: Novanglus, Thoughts on Government, Defence of the Constitution I”, p.210, Jazzybee Verlag

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• In every principle presented to us, our first inquiry should be, "Is it true?" "Does it emanate from God?" If he is its Author it can be sustained just as much as any other truth in natural philosophy; if false it should be opposed and exposed just as much as any other error.

  John Taylor

  Truth, Philosophy, Errors

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• All the moral laws are readily translated into natural philosophy, for often we have only to restore the primitive meaning of thewords by which they are expressed, or to attend to their literal instead of their metaphorical sense. They are already supernatural philosophy.

  Henry David Thoreau

  Philosophy, Philosophical, Law

  Henry David Thoreau (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Henry David Thoreau (Illustrated)”, p.271, Delphi Classics

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• Philosophy used to be a field that had content, but then natural philosophy became physics, and physics has only continued to make inroads. Every time theres a leap in physics, it encroaches on these areas that philosophers have carefully sequestered away to themselves, and so then you have this natural resentment on the part of philosophers.

  Lawrence M. Krauss

  Philosophy, Fields, Resentment

  "Has Physics Made Philosophy and Religion Obsolete?". Interview with Ross Andersen, www.theatlantic.com. Apr 23, 2012.

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• Scientific wealth tends to accumulate according to the law of compound interest. Every addition to knowledge of the properties of matter supplies the physical scientist with new instrumental means for discovering and interpreting phenomena of nature, which in their turn afford foundations of fresh generalisations, bringing gains of permanent value into the great storehouse of natural philosophy.

  Lord Kelvin

  Philosophy, Mean, Law

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