--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: [John Wheeler] rejuvenated general…" description: "\"[John Wheeler] rejuvenated general relativity; he made it an experimental subject and took it away from the mathematicians\" — Freeman Dyson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11c/freeman-dyson-1435_general-relativity_john-wheeler-rejuvenated-general-relativ_2319125.png" --- # \[John Wheeler\] rejuvenated general relativity; he made it… ![“[John Wheeler] rejuvenated general relativity; he made it an experimental subject and took it away from the mathematicians” quote by Freeman Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11c/freeman-dyson-1435_general-relativity_john-wheeler-rejuvenated-general-relativ_2319125.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11c/freeman-dyson-1435_general-relativity_john-wheeler-rejuvenated-general-relativ_2319125.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11c/freeman-dyson-1435_general-relativity_john-wheeler-rejuvenated-general-relativ_2319125.png) > “\[John Wheeler\] rejuvenated general relativity; he made it an experimental subject and took it away from the mathematicians” [Freeman Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freeman-dyson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Dyson credits Wheeler with turning general relativity into a testable, experimental science rather than a purely mathematical pursuit. **In simple terms:** Wheeler made relativity testable. Key Takeaway Embrace experimental approaches. Themes science physics methodology Mood inquisitive analytical Type scientific historical When to use this quote - academic research - laboratory work - technology development - education - policy making Key Concepts relativity experiment theory empiricism Questions to Reflect On - How can we further test relativity today? - What tools are needed for new experiments? A Different Perspective Experimental work can be limited by technological constraints. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [General relativity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/general-relativity/) [John Wheeler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/john-wheeler-4131200/) [Made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) [Made it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made-it/) [Mathematician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mathematician/) [Relativity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relativity/) [Relativity Experimental](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relativity-experimental-5537641/) [Subjects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/subjects/) [Theory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theory/) [Wheeler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wheeler-803636/) [Wheeler Rejuvenated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wheeler-rejuvenated-5537642/) ## Related quotes > [“If you haven’t found something strange during the day, it hasn’t been much of a day. –JOHN WHEELER”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michio-kaku/if-you-haven-t-found-something-strange-during-the-day-it-hasn-t-been-2/) [Michio Kaku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michio-kaku/) > [“The human mind is woven into the energy fabric of the universe. John A. Wheeler”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-ramsland/the-human-mind-is-woven-into-the-energy-fabric-of-the-universe-john-a/) [Katherine Ramsland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-ramsland/) > [“As the physicist John Wheeler said, “If you don’t kick things around with people, you are out of it. Nobody, I always say, can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-robinson/as-the-physicist-john-wheeler-said-if-you-don-t-kick-things-around/) [Ken Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-robinson/) > [We have to have a combination of general relativity that describes the warping of space and time, and quantum physics, which describes the uncertainties…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kip-thorne/we-have-to-have-a-combination-of-general-relativity-that-describes/) [Kip Thorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kip-thorne/) > [General relativity predicts that time ends inside black holes because the gravitational collapse squeezes matter to infinite density.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-smolin/general-relativity-predicts-that-time-ends-inside-black-holes-because/) [Lee Smolin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-smolin/) > [In Einstein's general relativity the structure of space can change but not its topology. Topology is the property of something that doesn't change when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-witten/in-einstein-s-general-relativity-the-structure-of-space-can-change/) [Edward Witten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-witten/) > [Combining quantum entanglement with wormholes yields mind boggling results about black holes. But I don't trust them until we have a theory of everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michio-kaku/combining-quantum-entanglement-with-wormholes-yields-mind-boggling/) [Michio Kaku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michio-kaku/) > [No matter how hard you try to teach your cat general relativity, you're going to fail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-greene/no-matter-how-hard-you-try-to-teach-your-cat-general-relativity-you/) [Brian Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-greene/) > [The media thinks that only the cutting edge of science, the very latest controversies, are worth reporting on. How often do you see headlines…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliezer-yudkowsky/the-media-thinks-that-only-the-cutting-edge-of-science-the-very/) [Eliezer Yudkowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliezer-yudkowsky/) > [When forced to summarize the general theory of relativity in one sentence: Time and space and gravitation have no separate existence from matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/when-forced-to-summarize-the-general-theory-of-relativity-in-one/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [ Asked in 1919 whether it was true that only three people in the world understood the theory of general relativity, \[Eddington\] allegedly replied: "Who's… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/asked-in-1919-whether-it-was-true-that-only-three-people-in-the-world/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [One of the most exciting things about dark energy is that it seems to live at the very nexus of two of our most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-riess/one-of-the-most-exciting-things-about-dark-energy-is-that-it-seems-to/) [Adam Riess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-riess/) > [Gravitational waves will bring us exquisitely accurate maps of black holes - maps of their space-time. Those maps will make it crystal clear whether…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kip-thorne/gravitational-waves-will-bring-us-exquisitely-accurate-maps-of-black/) [Kip Thorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kip-thorne/) > [ Einstein, my upset stomach hates your theory \[of General Relativity\]—it almost hates you yourself! How am I to' provide for my students? What am… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ehrenfest/einstein-my-upset-stomach-hates-your-theory-of-general-relativity-it/) [Paul Ehrenfest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ehrenfest/) > [String theory is the most developed theory with the capacity to unite general relativity and quantum mechanics in a consistent manner. I do believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-greene/string-theory-is-the-most-developed-theory-with-the-capacity-to-unite/) [Brian Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-greene/) ## More by Freeman Dyson > [For a physicist mathematics is not just a tool by means of which phenomena can be calculated, it is the main source of concepts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freeman-dyson/for-a-physicist-mathematics-is-not-just-a-tool-by-means-of-which/) [Freeman Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freeman-dyson/) > [“It is impossible to make real progress in technology without gambling.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freeman-dyson/it-is-impossible-to-make-real-progress-in-technology-without-gambling/) [Freeman Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freeman-dyson/) > [“Sanity is, in essence, nothing more than the ability to live in harmony with nature's laws.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freeman-dyson/sanity-is-in-essence-nothing-more-than-the-ability-to-live-in-harmony/) [Freeman Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freeman-dyson/) > [“I do not feel like an alien in this universe. The more I examine the universe and study the details of its architecture, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freeman-dyson/i-do-not-feel-like-an-alien-in-this-universe-the-more-i-examine-the/) [Freeman Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freeman-dyson/) > [It makes very little sense to believe the output of the climate models.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freeman-dyson/it-makes-very-little-sense-to-believe-the-output-of-the-climate-models/) [Freeman Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freeman-dyson/) > [The laws of nature are constructed in such a way as to make the universe as interesting as possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freeman-dyson/the-laws-of-nature-are-constructed-in-such-a-way-as-to-make-the/) [Freeman Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freeman-dyson/) > [The history of mathematics is a history of horrendously difficult problems being solved by young people too ignorant to know that they were impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freeman-dyson/the-history-of-mathematics-is-a-history-of-horrendously-difficult/) [Freeman Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freeman-dyson/) > [You ask: what is the meaning or purpose of life? I can only answer with another question: do you think we are wise enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freeman-dyson/you-ask-what-is-the-meaning-or-purpose-of-life-i-can-only-answer-with/) [Freeman Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freeman-dyson/) > [When World War II came along, which was when I was a teenager, we all expected we would have anthrax bombs and this kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freeman-dyson/when-world-war-ii-came-along-which-was-when-i-was-a-teenager-we-all/) [Freeman Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freeman-dyson/) > [It has become part of the accepted wisdom to say that the twentieth century was the century of physics and the twenty-first century will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freeman-dyson/it-has-become-part-of-the-accepted-wisdom-to-say-that-the-twentieth/) [Freeman Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freeman-dyson/) > [Lucky individuals in each generation find technology appropriate to their needs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freeman-dyson/lucky-individuals-in-each-generation-find-technology-appropriate-to/) [Freeman Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freeman-dyson/) > [A model is done when nothing else can be taken out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freeman-dyson/a-model-is-done-when-nothing-else-can-be-taken-out/) [Freeman Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freeman-dyson/) > [I am hoping that the scientists and politicians who have been blindly demonizing carbon dioxide for 37 years will one day open their eyes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freeman-dyson/i-am-hoping-that-the-scientists-and-politicians-who-have-been-blindly/) [Freeman Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freeman-dyson/) > [Intelligence may indeed be a benign influence creating isolated groups of philosopher-kings far apart in the heavens... On the other hand, intelligence may be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freeman-dyson/intelligence-may-indeed-be-a-benign-influence-creating-isolated/) [Freeman Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freeman-dyson/) > [Most of the crackpot papers which are submitted to The Physical Review are rejected, not because it is impossible to understand them, but because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freeman-dyson/most-of-the-crackpot-papers-which-are-submitted-to-the-physical/) [Freeman Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freeman-dyson/) [Explore all 241 Freeman Dyson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freeman-dyson/) ## More General relativity quotes > [String theory is the most developed theory with the capacity to unite general relativity and quantum mechanics in a consistent manner. I do believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-greene/string-theory-is-the-most-developed-theory-with-the-capacity-to-unite/) [Brian Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-greene/) > [We cannot explain the phenomenon of gravitational lensing without general relativity, and this is where MOND spectacularly fails.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/priyamvada-natarajan/we-cannot-explain-the-phenomenon-of-gravitational-lensing-without/) [Priyamvada Natarajan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/priyamvada-natarajan/) > [“I thought of Einstein, and his insistence that no particular point of view was more privileged than any other: in other words his ‘general…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-charles-wilson/i-thought-of-einstein-and-his-insistence-that-no-particular-point-of/) [Robert Charles Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-charles-wilson/) > [Relativity propped it up, at least gave it the illusion of being there…the way all reality becomes illusory and observer-oriented when you study general…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-haldeman/relativity-propped-it-up-at-least-gave-it-the-illusion-of-being-there/) [Joe Haldeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-haldeman/) > [“The Great Pyramid of Giza was designed in agreement with the Theory of General Relativity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ibrahim-ibrahim/the-great-pyramid-of-giza-was-designed-in-agreement-with-the-theory/) [Ibrahim Ibrahim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ibrahim-ibrahim/) > [“all reality becomes illusory and observer-oriented when you study general relativity. Or Buddhism. Or get drafted.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-haldeman/all-reality-becomes-illusory-and-observer-oriented-when-you-study/) [Joe Haldeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-haldeman/) > [“It was a grand triumph but not one easily understood. The skeptical Silverstein came up to Eddington and said that people believed that only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-isaacson/it-was-a-grand-triumph-but-not-one-easily-understood-the-skeptical/) [Walter Isaacson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-isaacson/) > [“Problem 1: Combine general relativity and quantum theory into a single theory that can claim to be the complete theory of nature. This is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-smolin/problem-1-combine-general-relativity-and-quantum-theory-into-a-single/) [Lee Smolin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-smolin/) > [ Einstein, my upset stomach hates your theory \[of General Relativity\]—it almost hates you yourself! How am I to' provide for my students? What am… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ehrenfest/einstein-my-upset-stomach-hates-your-theory-of-general-relativity-it/) [Paul Ehrenfest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ehrenfest/) > [Gravitational waves will bring us exquisitely accurate maps of black holes - maps of their space-time. Those maps will make it crystal clear whether…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kip-thorne/gravitational-waves-will-bring-us-exquisitely-accurate-maps-of-black/) [Kip Thorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kip-thorne/) > [“Banishing zero also solves the infinity problems in general relativity. If you imagine a black hole as a string, no longer do objects fall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-seife/banishing-zero-also-solves-the-infinity-problems-in-general/) [Charles Seife](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-seife/) > [“The subject of this chapter is string theory, and I begin it with these reflections for two reasons. First, because the main thing that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-smolin/the-subject-of-this-chapter-is-string-theory-and-i-begin-it-with/) [Lee Smolin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-smolin/) > [“Rμv– 1/2 gμv R = 8πTμv The left side of the equation starts with the term Rμv, which is the Ricci tensor he had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-isaacson/r-v-1-2-g-v-r-8-t-v-the-left-side-of-the-equation-starts-with-the/) [Walter Isaacson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-isaacson/) > [“In its final form, the general theory of relativity was just a reinterpretation of the existing mathematics of curved spaces in terms of gravitation,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-weinberg/in-its-final-form-the-general-theory-of-relativity-was-just-a/) [Steven Weinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-weinberg/) > [“The deep significance of this discovery appears to be that we have found a physical situation where two different natural principles, of quantum mechanics…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-barrow/the-deep-significance-of-this-discovery-appears-to-be-that-we-have/) [John D. Barrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-barrow/) [Browse all 86 General relativity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/general-relativity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "[John Wheeler] rejuvenated general relativity; he made it an experimental subject and took it away from the mathematicians", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Freeman Dyson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freeman-dyson/john-wheeler-rejuvenated-general-relativity-he-made-it-an/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "General relativity" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freeman-dyson/john-wheeler-rejuvenated-general-relativity-he-made-it-an/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11c/freeman-dyson-1435_general-relativity_john-wheeler-rejuvenated-general-relativ_2319125.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11c/freeman-dyson-1435_general-relativity_john-wheeler-rejuvenated-general-relativ_2319125.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11c/freeman-dyson-1435_general-relativity_john-wheeler-rejuvenated-general-relativ_2319125.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“[John Wheeler] rejuvenated general relativity; he made it an experimental subject and took it away from the…” — Freeman Dyson", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Freeman Dyson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freeman-dyson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "[John Wheeler] rejuvenated general relativity; he...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freeman-dyson/john-wheeler-rejuvenated-general-relativity-he-made-it-an/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freeman-dyson/john-wheeler-rejuvenated-general-relativity-he-made-it-an/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```