Accord Quote by Augustus De Morgan
“During the last two centuries and a half, physical knowledge has been gradually made to rest upon a basis which it had not before. It has become mathematical. The question now is, not whether this or that hypothesis is better or worse to the pure thought, but whether it accords with observed phenomena in those consequences which can be shown necessarily to follow from it, if it be true”
About This Quote
Source Book: History of Mathematics, 19th century compilation
Science increasingly relies on mathematical foundations, shifting focus from abstract speculation to empirical validation.
In simple terms: Science now depends on math and testing.
Key Takeaway
Embrace math to test ideas.
Themes
science
mathematics
empiricism
Mood
analytical
inquisitive
Type
explanatory
academic
When to use this quote
- research
- education
- policy making
- technology development
- academic publishing
Key Concepts
philosophy of science
methodology
Questions to Reflect On
- How does math improve predictions?
- When might math mislead?
A Different Perspective
Mathematical models can oversimplify complex realities.
![“Imagine a person with a gift of ridicule [He might say] First that a negative quantity has no logarithm; secondly that a negative quantity has no square root; thirdly that the first non-existent is to the second as the circumference of a circle is to the diameter.” quote by Augustus De Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/17f/augustus-de-morgan-18916_circles_imagine-a-person-with-a-gift-of-ridicule_136734.jpg)
![“As to writing another book on geometry [to replace Euclid] the middle ages would have as soon thought of composing another New Testament.” quote by Augustus De Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/ed4/augustus-de-morgan-18916_age_as-to-writing-another-book-on-geometry-t_584350.jpg)
