Innovation Quote by Judith Flanders
““It is too easy to think that ‘science’ is what happens now, that modernity and scientific thought are inseparable. Yet as Laura Snyder so brilliantly shows in this riveting picture of the first heroic age, the nineteenth century saw the invention of the computer, of electrical impulses, the harnessing of the power of steam – the birth of railways, statistics and technology. In ‘The Philosophical Breakfast Club’ she draws an endearing – almost domestic – picture of four scientific titans, and shows how – through their very ‘clubbability’ – they created the scientific basis on which the modern world stands.””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Philosophical Breakfast Club by Laura Snyder, 2014
The quote argues that modern science is not a seamless continuation of past thought; the 19th century introduced many technologies that reshaped scientific practice.
In simple terms: Science today differs from its origins; 19th‑century inventions changed it.
Key Takeaway
Recognize how historical shifts shape current science.
Themes
history
science
technology
modernity
continuity
Mood
reflective
analytical
Type
explanatory
historical
When to use this quote
- education curricula
- public policy
- museum exhibits
- science communication
- academic research
Key Concepts
industrial revolution
scientific paradigm shift
technological innovation
Questions to Reflect On
- How have 19th‑century inventions altered scientific methods?
- What aspects of modern science still reflect older ideas?
A Different Perspective
The claim may overstate continuity between disparate scientific fields.
![“We worked six days a week [on the The Breakfast Club], so you have one day off. So on that Saturday night, it's not like we could all go out and have a drink because Molly [Ringwald ] and Michael [Hall] weren't old enough. And Ally [Sheedy] pretty much kept to herself. So Emilio and I, every…” quote by Judd Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d29/judd-nelson-4498_adversaries_we-worked-six-days-a-week-on-the-the-bre_1605606.jpg)
![“I remember Emilio [Estevez] and I were at John's house during the rehearsal process. And John [Huges] had mentioned he wrote the first draft of Breakfast Club in a weekend. And we both at the same time went, "First draft? How many do you have?" And John said he's got four other drafts. And we go…” quote by Judd Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/01c/judd-nelson-4498_breakfast_i-remember-emilio-estevez-and-i-were-at_1215641.jpg)
![“I'd be the outsider gal who undergoes a makeover in the end [in the 'The Breakfast Club' ].” quote by Greta Salpeter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/982/greta-salpeter-44715_breakfast_i-d-be-the-outsider-gal-who-undergoes-a_934509.jpg)
![“Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then [these?], any man might instantly use what another had invented; so that the inventor had no special advantage from his own invention. The patent system changed this…” quote by Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/449/abraham-lincoln-88_adoption_next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in_1828.jpg)
