--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you [Robert Oppenheimer] intend to…" description: "\"“If you [Robert Oppenheimer] intend to mount heavy mathematical artillery again during your coming year in Europe, I would ask you not only not to come..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/986/paul-ehrenfest-52330_open-arms_if-you-robert-oppenheimer-intend-to-moun_1215665.jpg" --- # If you \[Robert Oppenheimer\] intend to mount heavy… ![“If you [Robert Oppenheimer] intend to mount heavy mathematical artillery again during your coming year in Europe, I would ask you not only not to come to Leiden, but if possible not even to Holland, and just because I am really so fond of you and want to keep it that way. But if, on the contrary…” quote by Paul Ehrenfest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/986/paul-ehrenfest-52330_open-arms_if-you-robert-oppenheimer-intend-to-moun_1215665.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/986/paul-ehrenfest-52330_open-arms_if-you-robert-oppenheimer-intend-to-moun_1215665.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/986/paul-ehrenfest-52330_open-arms_if-you-robert-oppenheimer-intend-to-moun_1215665.jpg) > ““If you \[Robert Oppenheimer\] intend to mount heavy mathematical artillery again during your coming year in Europe, I would ask you not only not to come to Leiden, but if possible not even to Holland, and just because I am really so fond of you and want to keep it that way. But if, on the contrary, you want to spend at least your first few months patiently, comfortably, and joyfully in discussions that keep coming back to the same few points, chatting about a few basic questions with me and our young people- and without thinking much about publishing (!!!)-why then I welcome you with open arms!!”” [Paul Ehrenfest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ehrenfest/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Ehrenfest invites Oppenheimer to avoid heavy academic pressure, preferring relaxed, thoughtful discussion over publishing demands. **In simple terms:** He prefers relaxed, thoughtful conversation over work. Key Takeaway Prioritize meaningful dialogue over productivity metrics. Themes friendship academic freedom balance mentorship Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - academic mentorship - personal letters - career guidance Key Concepts intellectual humility work‑life balance Questions to Reflect On - What value do you place on relaxed learning? - How can you balance productivity with wellbeing? A Different Perspective May limit professional advancement or visibility. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Come Leiden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/come-leiden-3702864/) [Leiden Possible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leiden-possible-3702865/) [Open arms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/open-arms/) [Oppenheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oppenheimer/) [Oppenheimer Intend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oppenheimer-intend-3702863/) [Robert Oppenheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/robert-oppenheimer/) ## Related quotes > [“Trinity’s witnesses responded just as those to Apollo 11 would, as J. Robert Oppenheimer remembered: "We knew the world would not be the same.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-nelson/trinity-s-witnesses-responded-just-as-those-to-apollo-11-would-as-j/) [Craig Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-nelson/) > [“It is a profound and necessary truth that the deep things in science are not found because they are useful; they are found because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rhodes/it-is-a-profound-and-necessary-truth-that-the-deep-things-in-science-2/) [Richard Rhodes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rhodes/) > [“Mrs. Winterson didn't want her body resurrected because she had never, ever loved it, not even for a single minute of a single day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/mrs-winterson-didn-t-want-her-body-resurrected-because-she-had-never/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [I wanted to write about the time when science became modern, around the 1950s. Right after physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, science started being so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanya-yanagihara/i-wanted-to-write-about-the-time-when-science-became-modern-around/) [Hanya Yanagihara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanya-yanagihara/) > [I do not see how a man can work on the frontiers of physics and write poetry at the same time. They are in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-dirac/i-do-not-see-how-a-man-can-work-on-the-frontiers-of-physics-and-write-2/) [Paul Dirac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-dirac/) > [It is the job of artists to open doors and invite in prophesies, the unknown, the unfamiliar; it’s where their work comes from, although…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-solnit/it-is-the-job-of-artists-to-open-doors-and-invite-in-prophesies-the/) [Rebecca Solnit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-solnit/) > [“The Nobel Peace Prize to end all peace prizes should have been given to Robert Oppenheimer and his fellow architects of the atomic bomb.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuval-noah-harari/the-nobel-peace-prize-to-end-all-peace-prizes-should-have-been-given/) [Yuval Noah Harari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuval-noah-harari/) > [The great Jewish scientists and philosophers of the last few generations - Spinoza, Einstein, Freud, Robert Oppenheimer and others - were natives of Europe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ben-gurion/the-great-jewish-scientists-and-philosophers-of-the-last-few/) [David Ben-Gurion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ben-gurion/) > [“His goal was to be vigilant against " the bozo explosion" that leads to a company's being larded with second rate talent: For most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-isaacson/his-goal-was-to-be-vigilant-against-the-bozo-explosion-that-leads-to/) [Walter Isaacson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-isaacson/) > [ Dirac politely refused Robert's \[Robert Oppenheimer\] two proffered books: reading books, the Cambridge theoretician announced gravely, "interfered with thought." ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-walter-alvarez/dirac-politely-refused-robert-s-robert-oppenheimer-two-proffered/) [Luis Walter Alvarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-walter-alvarez/) > [“Oppenheimer’s story also reminds us that our identity as a people remains intimately connected with the culture of things nuclear. “We have had the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kai-bird/oppenheimer-s-story-also-reminds-us-that-our-identity-as-a-people/) [Kai Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kai-bird/) > [“Beyond aspects of pain that are physical, thought Oppenheimer, sickness or injury or privation, beyond the so-called obvious, suffering can be a work of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-millet/beyond-aspects-of-pain-that-are-physical-thought-oppenheimer-sickness/) [Lydia Millet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-millet/) > [I think Oppenheimer Analysis had the most accessible material for commercial success. Martin Dupont, Deux, Linear Movement, Moderne and Stereo held a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-vasicka/i-think-oppenheimer-analysis-had-the-most-accessible-material-for/) [Veronica Vasicka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-vasicka/) > [“42 A few months after Nash got out, Baumecker called the Institute for Advanced Study and asked to speak to Oppenheimer about whether Nash…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-nasar/42-a-few-months-after-nash-got-out-baumecker-called-the-institute-for/) [Sylvia Nasar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-nasar/) > [“The reason Dick 's physics was so hard for ordinary people to grasp was that he did not use equations. The usual theoretical physics…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freeman-dyson/the-reason-dick-s-physics-was-so-hard-for-ordinary-people-to-grasp/) [Freeman Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freeman-dyson/) ## More by Paul Ehrenfest > [Physics is simple, but subtle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ehrenfest/physics-is-simple-but-subtle/) [Paul Ehrenfest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ehrenfest/) > [ 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/) > [Don't be impatient with me. Bear in mind that I hop around among all of you big beasts like a harmless and helpless frog…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ehrenfest/don-t-be-impatient-with-me-bear-in-mind-that-i-hop-around-among-all/) [Paul Ehrenfest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ehrenfest/) > [No two electrons in the same state? That is why atoms are so unnecessarily big, and why metal and stone are so bulky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ehrenfest/no-two-electrons-in-the-same-state-that-is-why-atoms-are-so/) [Paul Ehrenfest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ehrenfest/) > [You will get your difficulties with the point electron.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ehrenfest/you-will-get-your-difficulties-with-the-point-electron/) [Paul Ehrenfest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ehrenfest/) > [A thesis has to be presentable... but don't attach too much importance to it. If you do succeed in the sciences, you will do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ehrenfest/a-thesis-has-to-be-presentable-but-don-t-attach-too-much-importance/) [Paul Ehrenfest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ehrenfest/) [Explore all 7 Paul Ehrenfest quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ehrenfest/) ## More Open arms quotes > [Some people do not appreciates when you help them but expecting you to always grant you help with open arms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simphiwe-scientist-dumi/some-people-do-not-appreciates-when-you-help-them-but-expecting-you/) [Simphiwe Scientist Dumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simphiwe-scientist-dumi/) > [“The most revolutionary thing you can do is to be yourself, to speak your truth, to open your arms to life including the pain.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-mae-brown/the-most-revolutionary-thing-you-can-do-is-to-be-yourself-to-speak/) [Rita Mae Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-mae-brown/) > [“If you had forgotten, it would quickly come back to you. Aloneness was like riding a bike. At gunpoint. With the gun in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorrie-moore/if-you-had-forgotten-it-would-quickly-come-back-to-you-aloneness-was/) [Lorrie Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorrie-moore/) > [Cast not yourself away from Evil. Instead, embrace it with open arms, control it and overcome it within your inner self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/cast-not-yourself-away-from-evil-instead-embrace-it-with-open-arms/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I feel like Nashville has really embraced me with open arms. I was a little worried at first; you know, everybody knows about my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassadee-pope/i-feel-like-nashville-has-really-embraced-me-with-open-arms-i-was-a/) [Cassadee Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassadee-pope/) > [As one, they leap, laughing, and that is where we leave them - mouths open, arms spread wide, fingers splayed to take in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/libba-bray/as-one-they-leap-laughing-and-that-is-where-we-leave-them-mouths-open/) [Libba Bray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/libba-bray/) > [We''d like to be welcomed with open arms and open legs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-biersack/we-d-like-to-be-welcomed-with-open-arms-and-open-legs/) [Andy Biersack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-biersack/) > [Matt Hardy came into ROH with open arms. Matt came into ROH ready to learn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-cole/matt-hardy-came-into-roh-with-open-arms-matt-came-into-roh-ready-to/) [Adam Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-cole/) > [I have reached a point in my life where I understand the pain and the challenges; and my attitude is one of standing up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myrlie-evers-williams/i-have-reached-a-point-in-my-life-where-i-understand-the-pain-and-the/) [Myrlie Evers-Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myrlie-evers-williams/) > [“The essence of life is mastering the art of giving love freely and welcoming it with open arms.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-hultman/the-essence-of-life-is-mastering-the-art-of-giving-love-freely-and/) [Brandon Hultman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-hultman/) > [“Now that I’ve made the commitment to myself, to enjoy my ride…everything seems so effortless. In a way, I think it has set me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vicci-martinez/now-that-i-ve-made-the-commitment-to-myself-to-enjoy-my-ride/) [Vicci Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vicci-martinez/) > [I will always consider myself a New England Patriot. So, if I can serve in the role of a coach, administrator on the staff,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-slater/i-will-always-consider-myself-a-new-england-patriot-so-if-i-can-serve/) [Matthew Slater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-slater/) > [You're supposed to let go of the past and start off new. You are supposed to forgive all those who hurt you and be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-re-supposed-to-let-go-of-the-past-and-start-off-new-you-are/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Even though the city of Memphis and this organization has welcomed me with open arms, I play every game like it's my last. Play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-barnes/even-though-the-city-of-memphis-and-this-organization-has-welcomed-me/) [Matt Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-barnes/) > [“For you, a thousand times over," I heard myself say.Then I turned and ran.It was only a smile, nothing more. It didn't make everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/for-you-a-thousand-times-over-i-heard-myself-say-then-i-turned-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 211 Open arms quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/open-arms/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“If you [Robert Oppenheimer] intend to mount heavy mathematical artillery again during your coming year in Europe, I would ask you not only not to come to Leiden, but if possible not even to Holland, and just because I am really so fond of you and want to keep it that way. 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