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Ernst Mach (1838-1916) was an Austrian physicist and philosopher best known his study of shock waves and his criticism Newton's theory of space and time. Mach also known for influencing logical positivism. Mathematician Henri Poincare said,
"I know of nothing more terrible than the poor creatures who have learned too much... What they have acquired is a spider's web of thoughts too weak to furnish sure supports, but complicated enough to provide confusion." (Popular Scientific Lectures, 1898)
"Science is the most complete presentment of facts with the least expenditure of thought." (AZquotes.com)
Ernst Mach (1838-1916) was an Austrian physicist and philosopher best known his study of shock waves and his criticism Newton's theory of space and time. Mach also known for influencing logical positivism. Mathematician Henri Poincare said,
"Scientists believe there is a hierarchy of facts and that among them may be made a judicious choice. They are right, since otherwise there would be no science... As Mach says, these devotees have spared their successors the trouble of thinking." (The Value of Science, 1907)Political scientist Alan Ebenstein said,
"There was a loud echo of Hume in Mach's work, as both emphasized the tangibility of all knowledge - ultimately, all knowledge is based in the senses. Mach also emphasized the internal nature of all knowledge, in that it is experienced in mind." (The Mind of Friedrich Hayek, 2003)This post is some quotes from Mach.
Simplicity
"I know of nothing more terrible than the poor creatures who have learned too much... What they have acquired is a spider's web of thoughts too weak to furnish sure supports, but complicated enough to provide confusion." (Popular Scientific Lectures, 1898)
"Science is the most complete presentment of facts with the least expenditure of thought." (AZquotes.com)
"Strange as it may sound, the power of mathematics rests on its evasion of all unnecessary thought and on its wonderful saving of mental operations." (AZquotes.com)
"Nature consists of the elements given by the senses. Primitive man first takes out of them certain complexes of these elements that present themselves with a certain stability and are most important to him. The first and oldest words are names for things." (The Analysis of Sensations, 1902)
"Of all the concepts which the natural inquirer employs, the simplest are the concepts of space and time." (Space and Geometry in the Light of Physiological, Psychological and Physical Inquiry, 1906)
"In reality, the law always contains less than the fact itself, because it does not reproduce the fact as a whole but only in that aspect of it which is important for us, the rest being intentionally or from necessity omitted." (The Economical Nature of Physical Inquiry, 1898)
"The aim of research is the discovery of the equations which subsist between the elements of phenomena." (Popular Scientific Lectures, 1898)
Concepts
"Nature consists of the elements given by the senses. Primitive man first takes out of them certain complexes of these elements that present themselves with a certain stability and are most important to him. The first and oldest words are names for things." (The Analysis of Sensations, 1902)
"Of all the concepts which the natural inquirer employs, the simplest are the concepts of space and time." (Space and Geometry in the Light of Physiological, Psychological and Physical Inquiry, 1906)
Laws of reality
"In reality, the law always contains less than the fact itself, because it does not reproduce the fact as a whole but only in that aspect of it which is important for us, the rest being intentionally or from necessity omitted." (The Economical Nature of Physical Inquiry, 1898)
"The aim of research is the discovery of the equations which subsist between the elements of phenomena." (Popular Scientific Lectures, 1898)
