---
title: "1 Invention Knowledge Quotes By Willis R. Whitney"
description: "1 Invention Knowledge quotes by Willis R. Whitney. Plus more from Willis R. Whitney and more Invention Knowledge sayings from other authors."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da0/willis-r-whitney-41381_experiments_necessity-is-not-the-mother-of-invention_1330325.png"
---

> [Necessity is not the mother of invention. Knowledge and experiment are its parents. It sometimes happens that successful search is made for unknown materials to fill well-recognized and predetermined requirements. It more often happens that the acquirement of knowledge of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willis-r-whitney/necessity-is-not-the-mother-of-invention-knowledge-and-experiment-are/)

[Willis R. Whitney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willis-r-whitney/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da0/willis-r-whitney-41381_experiments_necessity-is-not-the-mother-of-invention_1330325.png)

## More by Willis R. Whitney

> [“Some men have thousands of reasons why they cannot do something, when all they need is one reason why they can.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willis-r-whitney/some-men-have-thousands-of-reasons-why-they-cannot-do-something-when/)

[Willis R. Whitney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willis-r-whitney/)

> [Research is appreciation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willis-r-whitney/research-is-appreciation/)

[Willis R. Whitney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willis-r-whitney/)

> [Somebody is always reflectively monkeying with some of the parts of an infinite universe - monkeying as distinct from aping.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willis-r-whitney/somebody-is-always-reflectively-monkeying-with-some-of-the-parts-of/)

[Willis R. Whitney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willis-r-whitney/)

> [In the advance of civilization, it is new knowledge which paves the way, and the pavement is eternal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willis-r-whitney/in-the-advance-of-civilization-it-is-new-knowledge-which-paves-the/)

[Willis R. Whitney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willis-r-whitney/)

> [The regularity with which we conclude that further advances in a particular field are impossible seems equaled only by the regularity with which events…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willis-r-whitney/the-regularity-with-which-we-conclude-that-further-advances-in-a/)

[Willis R. Whitney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willis-r-whitney/)

> [Necessity is not the mother of invention. Knowledge and experiment are its parents. It sometimes happens that successful search is made for unknown materials…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willis-r-whitney/necessity-is-not-the-mother-of-invention-knowledge-and-experiment-are/)

[Willis R. Whitney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willis-r-whitney/)

> [Our immediate interests are after all of but small moment. It is what we do for the future, what we add to the sum…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willis-r-whitney/our-immediate-interests-are-after-all-of-but-small-moment-it-is-what/)

[Willis R. Whitney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willis-r-whitney/)

> [I happen to be a kind of monkey. I have a monkeylike curiosity that makes me want to feel, smell, and taste things which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willis-r-whitney/i-happen-to-be-a-kind-of-monkey-i-have-a-monkeylike-curiosity-that/)

[Willis R. Whitney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willis-r-whitney/)

> [The valuable attributes of research men are conscious ignorance and active curiosity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willis-r-whitney/the-valuable-attributes-of-research-men-are-conscious-ignorance-and/)

[Willis R. Whitney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willis-r-whitney/)

> [A persistent and age-old instinct makes us want to wander Into regions yet untrod And read what is still unread In the manuscripts of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willis-r-whitney/a-persistent-and-age-old-instinct-makes-us-want-to-wander-into/)

[Willis R. Whitney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willis-r-whitney/)

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