--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My object has been, first to discover…" description: "\"My object has been, first to discover correct principles and then to suggest their practical development.\" — James Prescott Joule" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05e/james-prescott-joule-44113_development_my-object-has-been-first-to-discover-cor_2918805.png" --- # My object has been, first to discover correct principles… ![“My object has been, first to discover correct principles and then to suggest their practical development.” quote by James Prescott Joule](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05e/james-prescott-joule-44113_development_my-object-has-been-first-to-discover-cor_2918805.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05e/james-prescott-joule-44113_development_my-object-has-been-first-to-discover-cor_2918805.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05e/james-prescott-joule-44113_development_my-object-has-been-first-to-discover-cor_2918805.png) > “My object has been, first to discover correct principles and then to suggest their practical development.” [James Prescott Joule](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-prescott-joule/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Discovery of principles precedes practical application. **In simple terms:** First find principles, then apply. Key Takeaway Prioritize theory before practice. Themes science discovery application Mood analytical inquisitive Type academic practical When to use this quote - research - engineering - education Key Concepts Thermodynamics methodology Questions to Reflect On - What principle guides your work? - How do you test ideas? A Different Perspective Theory without practice stalls progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Correct Principles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/correct-principles-951180/) [Development](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/development/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Growth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growth/) [Has beens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/has-beens/) [Objects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/objects/) [Practical Development](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/practical-development-4242000/) [Practicals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/practicals/) [Principles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/principles/) [Principles Suggest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/principles-suggest-4241999/) [Suggest Practical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suggest-practical-4242001/) ## Related quotes > [If you always support the correct principles then you will never get the wrong results!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-johnson/if-you-always-support-the-correct-principles-then-you-will-never-get/) [Andrew Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-johnson/) > [When we value correct principles, we have truth - a knowledge of things as they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/when-we-value-correct-principles-we-have-truth-a-knowledge-of-things/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [I win the private victory when I have made my mind up and commit to live by correct principles and to serve worthy purposes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/i-win-the-private-victory-when-i-have-made-my-mind-up-and-commit-to/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [“Principles are the territory. Values are maps. When we value correct principles, we have truth—a knowledge of things as they are.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/principles-are-the-territory-values-are-maps-when-we-value-correct/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [“We are free to choose our actions, based on our knowledge of correct principles, but we are not free to choose the consequences of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/we-are-free-to-choose-our-actions-based-on-our-knowledge-of-correct/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [I teach them correct principles and they govern themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-smith-jr/i-teach-them-correct-principles-and-they-govern-themselves/) [Joseph Smith, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-smith-jr/) > [I believe that correct principles are natural laws, and that God, the Creator and Father of us all, is the source of them, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/i-believe-that-correct-principles-are-natural-laws-and-that-god-the/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [My image is a statement of the symbols of the harsh, impersonal products and brash materialistic objects on which America is built today. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-warhol/my-image-is-a-statement-of-the-symbols-of-the-harsh-impersonal/) [Andy Warhol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-warhol/) > [The body is an object in which we are all privileged, or doomed, to dwell, the source of feelings of well-being and pleasure, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-giddens/the-body-is-an-object-in-which-we-are-all-privileged-or-doomed-to/) [Anthony Giddens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-giddens/) > [I shall never pay a dollar of your unjust penalty. All the stock in trade I possess is a $10,000 debt, incurred by publishing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-b-anthony/i-shall-never-pay-a-dollar-of-your-unjust-penalty-all-the-stock-in/) [Susan B. Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-b-anthony/) > [The object of science is knowledge; the objects of art are works. In art, truth is the means to an end; in science, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-whewell/the-object-of-science-is-knowledge-the-objects-of-art-are-works-in/) [William Whewell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-whewell/) > [Ideal for the child and society in the best of times, Rudolf Steiner's brilliant process of education is critically needed and profoundly relevant now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-chilton-pearce/ideal-for-the-child-and-society-in-the-best-of-times-rudolf-steiner-s/) [Joseph Chilton Pearce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-chilton-pearce/) > [Part of the advantage, and part of the result of trying to be a producer and director, are the practical things, you find. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/campbell-scott/part-of-the-advantage-and-part-of-the-result-of-trying-to-be-a/) [Campbell Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/campbell-scott/) > [Technology means the systematic application of scientific or other organized knowledge to practical tasks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/technology-means-the-systematic-application-of-scientific-or-other/) [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) > [Surely to root politics out of art is a highly necessary undertaking: for the freedom of art, like that of science, depends entirely upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wyndham-lewis/surely-to-root-politics-out-of-art-is-a-highly-necessary-undertaking/) [Wyndham Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wyndham-lewis/) ## More by James Prescott Joule > [The height of the pulleys from the ground was twelve yards, and consequently, when the weights had descended through that distance, they had to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-prescott-joule/the-height-of-the-pulleys-from-the-ground-was-twelve-yards-and/) [James Prescott Joule](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-prescott-joule/) > [The animal frame, though destined to fulfill so many other ends, is as a machine more perfect than the best contrived steam-engine-that is, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-prescott-joule/the-animal-frame-though-destined-to-fulfill-so-many-other-ends-is-as/) [James Prescott Joule](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-prescott-joule/) > [Believing that the power to destroy belongs to the Creator alone I affirm... that any theory which, when carried out, demands the annihilation of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-prescott-joule/believing-that-the-power-to-destroy-belongs-to-the-creator-alone-i/) [James Prescott Joule](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-prescott-joule/) > [Order is manifestly maintained in the universe... governed by the sovereign will of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-prescott-joule/order-is-manifestly-maintained-in-the-universe-governed-by-the/) [James Prescott Joule](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-prescott-joule/) > [ The most convincing proof of the conversion of heat into living force \[vis viva\] has been derived from my experiments with the electro-magnetic engine,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-prescott-joule/the-most-convincing-proof-of-the-conversion-of-heat-into-living-force/) [James Prescott Joule](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-prescott-joule/) > [The earth in its rapid motion round the sun possesses a degree of living force so vast that, if turned into the equivalent of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-prescott-joule/the-earth-in-its-rapid-motion-round-the-sun-possesses-a-degree-of/) [James Prescott Joule](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-prescott-joule/) > [After the knowledge of, and obedience to, the will of God, the next aim must be to know something of His attributes of wisdom,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-prescott-joule/after-the-knowledge-of-and-obedience-to-the-will-of-god-the-next-aim/) [James Prescott Joule](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-prescott-joule/) > [It is evident that an acquaintance with natural laws means no less than an acquaintance with the mind of God therein expressed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-prescott-joule/it-is-evident-that-an-acquaintance-with-natural-laws-means-no-less/) [James Prescott Joule](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-prescott-joule/) [Explore all 9 James Prescott Joule quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-prescott-joule/) ## More Development quotes > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [A lot of times I'll show someone a technique I got really good with, but I didn't put all the hours in. I didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-bravo/a-lot-of-times-i-ll-show-someone-a-technique-i-got-really-good-with/) [Eddie Bravo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-bravo/) > [Thoroughly understand what it is to understand, and not only will you understand the broad lines of all there is to be understood but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-lonergan/thoroughly-understand-what-it-is-to-understand-and-not-only-will-you/) [Bernard Lonergan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-lonergan/) > [All our efforts to defeat poverty and pursue sustainable development will be in vain if environmental degradation and natural resource depletion continue unabated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kofi-annan/all-our-efforts-to-defeat-poverty-and-pursue-sustainable-development/) [Kofi Annan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kofi-annan/) > [Many humanists have argued that happiness involves a combination of hedonism and creative moral development; that an exuberant life fuses excellence and enjoyment, meaning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kurtz/many-humanists-have-argued-that-happiness-involves-a-combination-of/) [Paul Kurtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kurtz/) > [When they started to drain a swamp where birds and fish had lived, for a new housing development down the road from his apartment,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maile-meloy/when-they-started-to-drain-a-swamp-where-birds-and-fish-had-lived-for/) [Maile Meloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maile-meloy/) > [Close contact between science and the practice of collective farms and State farms creates inexhaustible opportunities for the development of theoretical knowledge, enabling us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trofim-lysenko/close-contact-between-science-and-the-practice-of-collective-farms/) [Trofim Lysenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trofim-lysenko/) > [The chances are that you have already come to believe that happiness is unattainable. But men have attained it. And they have attained it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-bennett/the-chances-are-that-you-have-already-come-to-believe-that-happiness/) [Arnold Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-bennett/) > [Firstly, economic globalisation has brought prosperity and development to many countries, but also financial crises to Asia, Latin America and Russia, and increasing poverty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-lindh/firstly-economic-globalisation-has-brought-prosperity-and-development/) [Anna Lindh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-lindh/) > [They are the gateway for our modern esthetic development, the prophets of the new time. They are most of all, the primitives of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marsden-hartley/they-are-the-gateway-for-our-modern-esthetic-development-the-prophets/) [Marsden Hartley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marsden-hartley/) > [Here we were talking about economic development, about investing billions of dollars in various programs, and I could see it wasn't billions of dollars…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-yunus/here-we-were-talking-about-economic-development-about-investing/) [Muhammad Yunus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-yunus/) > [Probably the greatest single obstacle to the progress and happiness of the American people lies in the willingness of so many men to invest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-rockefeller/probably-the-greatest-single-obstacle-to-the-progress-and-happiness/) [John D. Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-rockefeller/) > [Without a vision there is no possibility of creating something larger than what al-ready exists. An entrepreneur has to be able to bring something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-robbins/without-a-vision-there-is-no-possibility-of-creating-something-larger/) [Tony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-robbins/) > [I've developed a huge regard for Toyota for its environmental awareness, for its immense commitment to research and development in this field, and for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-strong/i-ve-developed-a-huge-regard-for-toyota-for-its-environmental/) [Maurice Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-strong/) [Browse all 4,447 Development quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/development/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "My object has been, first to discover correct principles and then to suggest their practical development.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "James Prescott Joule" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-prescott-joule/my-object-has-been-first-to-discover-correct-principles-and-then-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Development" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-prescott-joule/my-object-has-been-first-to-discover-correct-principles-and-then-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05e/james-prescott-joule-44113_development_my-object-has-been-first-to-discover-cor_2918805.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05e/james-prescott-joule-44113_development_my-object-has-been-first-to-discover-cor_2918805.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05e/james-prescott-joule-44113_development_my-object-has-been-first-to-discover-cor_2918805.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“My object has been, first to discover correct principles and then to suggest their practical development.” — James Prescott Joule", "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": "James Prescott Joule", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-prescott-joule/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "My object has been, first to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-prescott-joule/my-object-has-been-first-to-discover-correct-principles-and-then-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-prescott-joule/my-object-has-been-first-to-discover-correct-principles-and-then-to/#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 } } ] } ```