For chemistry is no science form'd à priori; 'tis no…
“For chemistry is no science form'd à priori; 'tis no production of the human mind, framed by reasoning and deduction: it took its rise from a number of experiments casually made, without any expectation of what follow'd; and was only reduced into an art or system, by collecting and comparing the effects of such unpremeditated experiments, and observing the uniform tendency thereof. So far, then, as a number of experimenters agree to establish any undoubted truth; so far they may be consider'd as constituting the theory of chemistry.”
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Chemistry develops from experimental observation, not pure reasoning.
In simple terms: Science grows from experiments.
Key Takeaway
Value empirical evidence.
Themes
science
empiricism
methodology
discovery
Mood
analytical
curious
Type
academic
historical
When to use this quote
- laboratory research
- education
- innovation
- policy making
Key Concepts
experiment
induction
theory building
Questions to Reflect On
- How do experiments shape your understanding?
- What role does intuition play in science?
A Different Perspective
Overreliance on theory can hinder discovery.