Admire Quote by Arthur Eddington
“Our model of Nature should not be like a building-a handsome structure for the populace to admire, until in the course of time some one takes away a corner stone and the edifice comes toppling down. It should be like an engine with movable parts. We need not fix the position of any one lever; that is to be adjusted from time to time as the latest observations indicate. The aim of the theorist is to know the train of wheels which the lever sets in motion-that binding of the parts which is the soul of the engine.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Nature of the Physical World, Arthur Eddington, 1928
Scientific models should be flexible like an engine, adaptable to new data, rather than rigid structures that collapse when a piece is removed.
In simple terms: Models need flexibility to adapt to new observations.
Key Takeaway
Design adaptable, modular models.
Themes
science
adaptability
modeling
Mood
analytical
reflective
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- research design
- policy planning
- technology development
- education curricula
Key Concepts
Systems theory
epistemology
philosophy of science
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you build flexibility into your current models?
- What mechanisms ensure timely updates?
A Different Perspective
Rigid models may resist necessary change.
![“The court is like a palace built of marble; I mean that it is made up of very hard but very polished people. [Fr., La cour est comme un edifice bati de marbre; je veux dire qu'elle est composee d'hommes fort durs mais fort polis.]” quote by Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/fcf/jean-de-la-bruyere-575_built_the-court-is-like-a-palace-built-of-marb_77288.jpg)
