Re: Kelvin quote

["Bernard G. Cleyet & Nancy Ann Seese" <georgeann@REDSHIFT.COM>]

Appears to me that this quote's history is paradigmatic of the development of scientific
ideas.

bc

Hugh Haskell wrote:

> >  >I'm looking for the quote by Kelvin that physics was done.  I may have
> > > found it here, but unsubstantiated, in the "Of Physics" section in
> > > <http://members.tripod.com/~zoam/kelvquote.html>; it says, "There is
> > > nothing new to be discovered in physics now, All that remains is more and
> > > more precise measurement."  But I'd like a more complete quote in context
> > > with citation and date.  Can anyone help?
> > >
> > > Thanks,
> > > Larry
> >
> > Bill Beattie gives us this quote:
> >
> >   "The more important fundamental laws and facts of physical science have
> >   all been discovered, and these are now so firmly established that the
> >   possibility of their ever being supplanted in consequence of new
> >   discoveries is exceedingly remote.... Our future discoveries must be
> >   looked for in the sixth place of decimals."
> >
> >   -Albert. A. Michelson, speech given in 1894 at the dedication of Ryerson
> >    Physics Lab, Univ. of Chicago,
> >
> > Leigh
>
> The history of this quotation is certainly checkered. I have heard it
> attributed to several physicists of the day including both Kelvin and
> Michelson, and I have also read (unfortunately, I cannot lay my hands
> on the source right now), that the quote attributed to Michelson here
> was attributed to "others" by Michelson himself, when he first said
> it. In other words, this may be a "quote of a quote."
>
> Hugh
> --
>
> Hugh Haskell
> <mailto://hhaskell@mindspring.com>
>
> Let's face it. People use a Mac because they want to, Windows because they
> have to..
> ******************************************************