--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The stone that Dr. Johnson once kicked to…" description: "\"The stone that Dr. Johnson once kicked to demonstrate the reality of matter has become dissipated in a diffuse distribution of mathematical probabiliti..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/140/morris-kline-25507_descartes_the-stone-that-dr-johnson-once-kicked-to_2874101.png" --- # The stone that Dr. Johnson once kicked to demonstrate the… ![“The stone that Dr. Johnson once kicked to demonstrate the reality of matter has become dissipated in a diffuse distribution of mathematical probabilities. The ladder that Descartes, Galileo, Newton, and Leibniz erected in order to scale the heavens rests upon a continually shifting, unstable…” quote by Morris Kline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/140/morris-kline-25507_descartes_the-stone-that-dr-johnson-once-kicked-to_2874101.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/140/morris-kline-25507_descartes_the-stone-that-dr-johnson-once-kicked-to_2874101.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/140/morris-kline-25507_descartes_the-stone-that-dr-johnson-once-kicked-to_2874101.png) > “The stone that Dr. Johnson once kicked to demonstrate the reality of matter has become dissipated in a diffuse distribution of mathematical probabilities. The ladder that Descartes, Galileo, Newton, and Leibniz erected in order to scale the heavens rests upon a continually shifting, unstable foundation.” [Morris Kline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morris-kline/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote critiques how physical and mathematical foundations, once thought solid, are now seen as probabilistic and unstable. **In simple terms:** Physical and mathematical foundations are now viewed as uncertain. Key Takeaway Accept uncertainty and adapt thinking. Themes science philosophy uncertainty foundations probability Mood reflective analytical skeptical Type critical philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - physics research - philosophy of science - education - risk assessment Key Concepts epistemology scientific method mathematical foundations Questions to Reflect On - How does uncertainty affect scientific progress? - Can stable models still be useful? A Different Perspective It may overstate the instability of scientific knowledge. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Descartes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/descartes/) [Distribution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distribution/) [Dr johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dr-johnson/) [Drs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drs/) [Foundation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/foundation/) [Heaven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heaven/) [Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/johnson/) [Ladder Descartes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ladder-descartes-3947871/) [Ladders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ladders/) [Mathematical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mathematical/) [Matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter/) [Matter Dissipated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter-dissipated-3947873/) [Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/newton/) [Newton Leibniz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/newton-leibniz-1300110/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) [Probability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/probability/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) [Scales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scales/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Shifting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shifting/) [Stones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stones/) [Unstable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unstable/) [Unstable Foundation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unstable-foundation-1921088/) ## Related quotes > [Make as many friends as you can, but don't build your life on them alone. It's an unstable foundation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-covey/make-as-many-friends-as-you-can-but-don-t-build-your-life-on-them/) [Sean Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-covey/) > [Everything that exceeds the bounds of moderation has an unstable foundation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/everything-that-exceeds-the-bounds-of-moderation-has-an-unstable/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [Your emotions are very unstable and should never be the foundation for direction in your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/your-emotions-are-very-unstable-and-should-never-be-the-foundation/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [The analytical geometry of Descartes and the calculus of Newton and Leibniz have expanded into the marvelous mathematical method](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-murray-butler/the-analytical-geometry-of-descartes-and-the-calculus-of-newton-and/) [Nicholas Murray Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-murray-butler/) > [The analytical geometry of Descartes and the calculus of Newton and Leibniz have expanded into the marvelous mathematical method-more daring than anything that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-murray-butler/the-analytical-geometry-of-descartes-and-the-calculus-of-newton-and-2/) [Nicholas Murray Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-murray-butler/) > [With an absurd oversimplification, the 'invention' of the calculus is sometimes ascribed to two men, Newton and Leibniz. In reality, the calculus is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-courant/with-an-absurd-oversimplification-the-invention-of-the-calculus-is/) [Richard Courant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-courant/) > [ With an absurd oversimplification, the "invention" of calculus \[method in mathematics\] is sometimes ascribed to two men, Newton and Leibniz. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-courant/with-an-absurd-oversimplification-the-invention-of-calculus-method-in/) [Richard Courant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-courant/) > [I was trying to run something to ground that had come to my attention when I was working on the Baroque Cycle. That series,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/i-was-trying-to-run-something-to-ground-that-had-come-to-my-attention/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“How are you coming with your home library? Do you need some good ammunition on why it's so important to read? The last time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-nightingale/how-are-you-coming-with-your-home-library-do-you-need-some-good/) [Earl Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-nightingale/) > [I'm an advocate of the great Dr. Johnson, the English man of letters who said that patriotism was the last refuge of the scoundrel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-galloway/i-m-an-advocate-of-the-great-dr-johnson-the-english-man-of-letters/) [George Galloway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-galloway/) > [“I was strong in English, and thankful for it. I knew the great Dr. Johnson from his friend Mr. Boswell. There is a friend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-llewellyn/i-was-strong-in-english-and-thankful-for-it-i-knew-the-great-dr/) [Richard Llewellyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-llewellyn/) > [“It is generally understood that a modern-day book may honorably be based upon an older one, especially since, as Dr. Johnson observed, no man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-luis-borges/it-is-generally-understood-that-a-modern-day-book-may-honorably-be/) [Jorge Luis Borges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-luis-borges/) > [Boswell: But, Sir is it not somewhat singular that you should happen to have Cocker's Arithmetic about you on your journey? Dr. Johnson: Why,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-boswell/boswell-but-sir-is-it-not-somewhat-singular-that-you-should-happen-to/) [James Boswell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-boswell/) > [“Listen, I wanted to say, I don't need your judgment, okay? I have enough to deal with without you contributing, so can we just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-verdi/listen-i-wanted-to-say-i-don-t-need-your-judgment-okay-i-have-enough/) [Jessica Verdi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-verdi/) > [“I think I can understand that feeling about a housewife’s work being like that of Sisyphus (who was the stone rolling gentleman). But it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/i-think-i-can-understand-that-feeling-about-a-housewife-s-work-being/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) ## More by Morris Kline > [Universities hire professors the way some men choose wives - they want the ones the others will admire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morris-kline/universities-hire-professors-the-way-some-men-choose-wives-they-want/) [Morris Kline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morris-kline/) > [The tantalizing and compelling pursuit of mathematical problems offers mental absorption, peace of mind amid endless challenges, repose in activity, battle without conflict, refuge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morris-kline/the-tantalizing-and-compelling-pursuit-of-mathematical-problems/) [Morris Kline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morris-kline/) > [Mathematicians create by acts of insights and intuition. Logic then sanctions the conquests of intuition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morris-kline/mathematicians-create-by-acts-of-insights-and-intuition-logic-then/) [Morris Kline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morris-kline/) > [In brief, the whole world is the totality of mathematically expressible motions of objects in space and time, and the entire universe is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morris-kline/in-brief-the-whole-world-is-the-totality-of-mathematically/) [Morris Kline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morris-kline/) > [Statistics: the mathematical theory of ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morris-kline/statistics-the-mathematical-theory-of-ignorance/) [Morris Kline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morris-kline/) > [Though determinants and matrices received a great deal of attention in the nineteenth century and thousands of papers were written on these subjects, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morris-kline/though-determinants-and-matrices-received-a-great-deal-of-attention/) [Morris Kline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morris-kline/) > [“All mathematical proofs must be deductive. Each proof is a chain of deductive arguments, each of which has its premises and conclusion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morris-kline/all-mathematical-proofs-must-be-deductive-each-proof-is-a-chain-of/) [Morris Kline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morris-kline/) > [A proof tells us where to concentrate our doubts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morris-kline/a-proof-tells-us-where-to-concentrate-our-doubts/) [Morris Kline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morris-kline/) > [Every paper published in a respectable journal should have a preface by the author stating why he is publishing the article, and what value…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morris-kline/every-paper-published-in-a-respectable-journal-should-have-a-preface/) [Morris Kline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morris-kline/) > [There is no rigorous definition of rigor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morris-kline/there-is-no-rigorous-definition-of-rigor/) [Morris Kline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morris-kline/) > [A elegantly executed proof is a poem in all but the form in which it is written.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morris-kline/a-elegantly-executed-proof-is-a-poem-in-all-but-the-form-in-which-it/) [Morris Kline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morris-kline/) > [ \[The error in the teaching of mathematics is that\] mathematics is expected either to be immediately attractive to students on its own merits or… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morris-kline/the-error-in-the-teaching-of-mathematics-is-that-mathematics-is/) [Morris Kline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morris-kline/) > [“same phenomenon and concludes that the phenomenon will always occur. Conclusions obtained by induction seem well warranted”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morris-kline/same-phenomenon-and-concludes-that-the-phenomenon-will-always-occur/) [Morris Kline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morris-kline/) > [On all levels primary, and secondary and undergraduate - mathematics is taught as an isolated subject with few, if any, ties to the real…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morris-kline/on-all-levels-primary-and-secondary-and-undergraduate-mathematics-is/) [Morris Kline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morris-kline/) > [The most fertile source of insight is hindsight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morris-kline/the-most-fertile-source-of-insight-is-hindsight/) [Morris Kline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morris-kline/) [Explore all 22 Morris Kline quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morris-kline/) ## More Descartes quotes > [It may be said that the conceptions of differential quotient and integral, which in their origin certainly go back to Archimedes, were introduced into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophus-lie/it-may-be-said-that-the-conceptions-of-differential-quotient-and/) [Sophus Lie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophus-lie/) > [It is actually a nice question how far Descartes himself endorses the monological and metaphysically dualistic theory of mind associated with his name and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-w-wood/it-is-actually-a-nice-question-how-far-descartes-himself-endorses-the/) [Allen W. Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-w-wood/) > [“Descartes gave sight to the blind. These saw the errors of antiquity and of the sciences. The path he struck out is since become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/descartes-gave-sight-to-the-blind-these-saw-the-errors-of-antiquity/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [“Starting from Descartes’ commitment to a few absolutely certain innate ideas and reason’s ability to determine some facts about reality a priori, Leibniz ended…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-braver/starting-from-descartes-commitment-to-a-few-absolutely-certain-innate/) [Lee Braver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-braver/) > [“For the mind depends so much on the temperament and disposition of the bodily organs that, if it is possible to find a means…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ren-descartes/for-the-mind-depends-so-much-on-the-temperament-and-disposition-of/) [René Descartes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ren-descartes/) > [Descartes's epistemology is a special case of Aristotle's virtue ethics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-sosa/descartes-s-epistemology-is-a-special-case-of-aristotle-s-virtue/) [Ernest Sosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-sosa/) > [Perhaps people need to understand some history here. Rene Descartes, in the late 16th, early 17th century, postulated that body, mind, physicality and spirituality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-mitchell/perhaps-people-need-to-understand-some-history-here-rene-descartes-in/) [Edgar Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-mitchell/) > [“Agnosticism, in fact, is not a creed, but a method, the essence of which lies in the rigorous application of a single principle. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-henry-huxley/agnosticism-in-fact-is-not-a-creed-but-a-method-the-essence-of-which-2/) [Thomas Henry Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-henry-huxley/) > [Descartes is rightly regarded as the father of modern philosophy primarily and generally because he helped the faculty of reason to stand on its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/descartes-is-rightly-regarded-as-the-father-of-modern-philosophy/) [Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/) > [“Descartes walks into a bar, and the bartender asks "Would you like a beer?" Descartes replies, "I think not" and poof! he vanishes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/various/descartes-walks-into-a-bar-and-the-bartender-asks-would-you-like-a/) [Various](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/various/) > [“Descartes had somehow managed to use skepticism in service of orthodoxy; he preserved crucial shards of church doctrine—the immortal soul, for starters—while buying intellectual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-foer/descartes-had-somehow-managed-to-use-skepticism-in-service-of/) [Franklin Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-foer/) > [“logic limits love, which may be why Descartes never married.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/logic-limits-love-which-may-be-why-descartes-never-married/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [For someone who claimed to have found the true method for seeking reliable knowledge, it is remarkable how wrong Descartes was about so many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-weinberg/for-someone-who-claimed-to-have-found-the-true-method-for-seeking/) [Steven Weinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-weinberg/) > [A long time ago, Descartes sad, “I think, therefore I am.” But if you are not thinking, what?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seungsahn/a-long-time-ago-descartes-sad-i-think-therefore-i-am-but-if-you-are/) [Seungsahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seungsahn/) > [To do is to be. -Descartes To be is to do. - Voltaire Do be do be do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-sinatra/to-do-is-to-be-descartes-to-be-is-to-do-voltaire-do-be-do-be-do/) [Frank Sinatra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-sinatra/) [Browse all 80 Descartes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/descartes/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The stone that Dr. Johnson once kicked to demonstrate the reality of matter has become dissipated in a diffuse distribution of mathematical probabilities. The ladder that Descartes, Galileo, Newton, and Leibniz erected in order to scale the heavens rests upon a continually shifting, unstable foundation.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Morris Kline" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morris-kline/the-stone-that-dr-johnson-once-kicked-to-demonstrate-the-reality-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Descartes" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morris-kline/the-stone-that-dr-johnson-once-kicked-to-demonstrate-the-reality-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/140/morris-kline-25507_descartes_the-stone-that-dr-johnson-once-kicked-to_2874101.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/140/morris-kline-25507_descartes_the-stone-that-dr-johnson-once-kicked-to_2874101.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/140/morris-kline-25507_descartes_the-stone-that-dr-johnson-once-kicked-to_2874101.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The stone that Dr. Johnson once kicked to demonstrate the reality of matter has become dissipated in a…” — Morris Kline", "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": "Morris Kline", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morris-kline/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The stone that Dr. Johnson once...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morris-kline/the-stone-that-dr-johnson-once-kicked-to-demonstrate-the-reality-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morris-kline/the-stone-that-dr-johnson-once-kicked-to-demonstrate-the-reality-of/#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 } } ] } ```