--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Unless the structure of the nucleus has a…" description: "\"Unless the structure of the nucleus has a surprise in store for us, the conclusion seems plain-there is nothing in the whole system if laws of physics ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/127/arthur-eddington-8366_able_unless-the-structure-of-the-nucleus-has_3229979.jpg" --- # Unless the structure of the nucleus has a surprise in… ![“Unless the structure of the nucleus has a surprise in store for us, the conclusion seems plain-there is nothing in the whole system if laws of physics that cannot be deduced unambiguously from epistemological considerations. An intelligence, unacquainted with our universe, but acquainted with the…” quote by Arthur Eddington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/127/arthur-eddington-8366_able_unless-the-structure-of-the-nucleus-has_3229979.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/127/arthur-eddington-8366_able_unless-the-structure-of-the-nucleus-has_3229979.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/127/arthur-eddington-8366_able_unless-the-structure-of-the-nucleus-has_3229979.jpg) > “Unless the structure of the nucleus has a surprise in store for us, the conclusion seems plain-there is nothing in the whole system if laws of physics that cannot be deduced unambiguously from epistemological considerations. An intelligence, unacquainted with our universe, but acquainted with the system of thought by which the human mind interprets to itself the contents of its sensory experience, and should be able to attain all the knowledge of physics that we have attained by experiment.” [Arthur Eddington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-eddington/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Physical laws may be fully derivable from logical reasoning, but unknown complexities could exist. **In simple terms:** Science might be fully logical, yet surprises remain. Key Takeaway Remain open to unexpected findings. Themes philosophy science epistemology Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type scientific philosophical When to use this quote - theoretical research - education - policy making - public discourse Key Concepts logic uncertainty methodology Questions to Reflect On - Can all phenomena be explained by logic alone? - How do we balance theory with observation? A Different Perspective Empirical evidence may contradict pure deduction. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Conclusion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conclusion/) [Consideration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consideration/) [Experiments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experiments/) [Human mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-mind/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Laws of physics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laws-of-physics/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Physics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/physics/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Structure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/structure/) [Surprise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surprise/) [Universe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/universe/) ## Related quotes > [Unless the structure of the nucleus has a surprise in store for us, the conclusion seems plain — there is nothing in the whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-eddington/unless-the-structure-of-the-nucleus-has-a-surprise-in-store-for-us/) [Arthur Eddington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-eddington/) > [Our knowledge of physics only takes us back so far. Before this instant of cosmic time, all the laws of physics or chemistry are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-silk/our-knowledge-of-physics-only-takes-us-back-so-far-before-this/) [Joseph Silk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-silk/) > [If someone points out to you that your pet theory of the universe is in disagreement with Maxwell's equations-then so much the worse for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-eddington/if-someone-points-out-to-you-that-your-pet-theory-of-the-universe-is/) [Arthur Eddington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-eddington/) > [“The landed classes neglected technical education, taking refuge in classical studies; as late as 1930, for example, long after Ernest Rutherford at Cambridge had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rhodes/the-landed-classes-neglected-technical-education-taking-refuge-in/) [Richard Rhodes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rhodes/) > [When a male vole repeatedly mates with a female, a hormone called vasopressin is released in his brain. The vasopressin binds to receptors in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-eagleman/when-a-male-vole-repeatedly-mates-with-a-female-a-hormone-called/) [David Eagleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-eagleman/) > [From the results so far obtained it is difficult to avoid the conclusion that the long-range atoms arising from collision of alpha particles with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-rutherford/from-the-results-so-far-obtained-it-is-difficult-to-avoid-the/) [Ernest Rutherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-rutherford/) > [It's only led me to complete awesomeness at all times. It's only led me to awesome truth and awesomeness. Beauty, truth, awesomeness. That's all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kanye-west/it-s-only-led-me-to-complete-awesomeness-at-all-times-it-s-only-led/) [Kanye West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kanye-west/) > [There are endless planes of attention, endless realities and endless mind states. They're like collections of atoms and protons and neutrons, nuclei. They just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/there-are-endless-planes-of-attention-endless-realities-and-endless/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Some teams have a nucleus to build around. The Falcons barely have an embryo. So if you see suspicious looking wires running from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-schultz/some-teams-have-a-nucleus-to-build-around-the-falcons-barely-have-an/) Jeff Schultz > [I could not undertake to form a nucleus of an institution for the development of infant minds, where none already existed. It would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-could-not-undertake-to-form-a-nucleus-of-an-institution-for-the/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Just see how it glints and sparkles. Of course it is a nucleus and focus of crime. Every good stone is. They are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/just-see-how-it-glints-and-sparkles-of-course-it-is-a-nucleus-and/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [The European Union is effectively a union dominated by the German political and economic elite. Its main function is to serve as a nucleus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ali/the-european-union-is-effectively-a-union-dominated-by-the-german/) [Tariq Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ali/) > [Who can object to a monopoly when any new company, if it is built around a scientific nucleus, can create a new monopoly of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-land/who-can-object-to-a-monopoly-when-any-new-company-if-it-is-built/) [Edwin Land](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-land/) > [The entire Universe is condensed in the body, and the entire body in the Heart. Thus the Heart is the nucleus of the whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramana-maharshi/the-entire-universe-is-condensed-in-the-body-and-the-entire-body-in/) [Ramana Maharshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramana-maharshi/) > [We had built up a team in Edmonton that really knew who each other was from a personal standpoint and from a professional standpoint.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-messier/we-had-built-up-a-team-in-edmonton-that-really-knew-who-each-other/) [Mark Messier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-messier/) ## More by Arthur Eddington > [Observation and theory get on best when they are mixed together, both helping one another in the pursuit of truth. It is a good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-eddington/observation-and-theory-get-on-best-when-they-are-mixed-together-both/) [Arthur Eddington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-eddington/) > [Proof is an idol before which the mathematician tortures himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-eddington/proof-is-an-idol-before-which-the-mathematician-tortures-himself/) [Arthur Eddington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-eddington/) > [It is one thing for the human mind to extract from the phenomena of nature the laws which it has itself put into them;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-eddington/it-is-one-thing-for-the-human-mind-to-extract-from-the-phenomena-of/) [Arthur Eddington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-eddington/) > [Don't believe the results of experiments until they're confirmed by theory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-eddington/don-t-believe-the-results-of-experiments-until-they-re-confirmed-by/) [Arthur Eddington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-eddington/) > [Probably the simplest hypothesis... is that there may be a slow process of annihilation of matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-eddington/probably-the-simplest-hypothesis-is-that-there-may-be-a-slow-process/) [Arthur Eddington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-eddington/) > [There was a time when we wanted to be told what an electron is. 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The longest waves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-eddington/the-universe-will-finally-become-a-ball-of-radiation-becoming-more/) [Arthur Eddington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-eddington/) > [Science is one thing, wisdom is another. Science is an edged tool, with which men play like children, and cut their own fingers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-eddington/science-is-one-thing-wisdom-is-another-science-is-an-edged-tool-with/) [Arthur Eddington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-eddington/) > [We often think that when we have completed our study of one we know all about two, because 'two' is 'one and one.' We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-eddington/we-often-think-that-when-we-have-completed-our-study-of-one-we-know/) [Arthur Eddington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-eddington/) > [If your theory is found to be against the second law of thermodynamics I give you no hope; there is nothing for it but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-eddington/if-your-theory-is-found-to-be-against-the-second-law-of/) [Arthur Eddington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-eddington/) > [Human life is proverbially uncertain; few things are more certain than the solvency of a life-insurance company.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-eddington/human-life-is-proverbially-uncertain-few-things-are-more-certain-than/) [Arthur Eddington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-eddington/) > [ \[When thinking about the new relativity and quantum theories\] I have felt a homesickness for the paths of physical science where there are ore… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-eddington/when-thinking-about-the-new-relativity-and-quantum-theories-i-have/) [Arthur Eddington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-eddington/) > [There is no space without aether, and no aether which does not occupy space.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-eddington/there-is-no-space-without-aether-and-no-aether-which-does-not-occupy/) [Arthur Eddington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-eddington/) [Explore all 81 Arthur Eddington quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-eddington/) ## More Able quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [In the '80s, the way radio was programmed, if you didn't have a hit record you weren't going to be able to make any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-lewis/in-the-80s-the-way-radio-was-programmed-if-you-didn-t-have-a-hit/) [Huey Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-lewis/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. 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