--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To Napoleon on why his works on celestial…" description: "\"To Napoleon on why his works on celestial mechanics make no mention of God: Your Highness, I have no need of this hypothesis.\" — Pierre-Simon Laplace" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9c/pierre-simon-laplace-15849_celestial_to-napoleon-on-why-his-works-on-celestia_537963.jpg" --- # To Napoleon on why his works on celestial mechanics make… ![“To Napoleon on why his works on celestial mechanics make no mention of God: Your Highness, I have no need of this hypothesis.” quote by Pierre-Simon Laplace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9c/pierre-simon-laplace-15849_celestial_to-napoleon-on-why-his-works-on-celestia_537963.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9c/pierre-simon-laplace-15849_celestial_to-napoleon-on-why-his-works-on-celestia_537963.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9c/pierre-simon-laplace-15849_celestial_to-napoleon-on-why-his-works-on-celestia_537963.jpg) > “To Napoleon on why his works on celestial mechanics make no mention of God: Your Highness, I have no need of this hypothesis.” [Pierre-Simon Laplace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-simon-laplace/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Laplace argues that scientific explanations can stand without invoking divine causes. **In simple terms:** Science can work without God. Key Takeaway Accept natural explanations. Themes science reason secularism Mood analytical skeptical Type philosophical scientific When to use this quote - academic debate - philosophical discussion - education - policy making - public outreach Key Concepts mechanics hypothesis empiricism Questions to Reflect On - How do we address faith‑based resistance to scientific ideas? - Can secular explanations coexist with personal belief? A Different Perspective Religious objections may still influence public acceptance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Celestial](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/celestial/) [Celestial Mechanics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/celestial-mechanics-1089347/) [God Highness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-highness-4505591/) [Highness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/highness/) [Hypothesis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hypothesis/) [Mechanic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mechanic/) [Mention God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mention-god-275832/) [Napoleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/napoleon/) [Napoleon Works](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/napoleon-works-4505590/) [Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs/) ## Related quotes > [I work in celestial mechanics, but I am not interested in getting to the moon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marston-morse/i-work-in-celestial-mechanics-but-i-am-not-interested-in-getting-to/) [Marston Morse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marston-morse/) > [Ever since celestial mechanics in the skillful hands of Leverrier and Adams led to the world-amazed discovery of Neptune, a belief has existed begotten…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percival-lowell/ever-since-celestial-mechanics-in-the-skillful-hands-of-leverrier-and/) [Percival Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percival-lowell/) > [Celestial mechanics is the origin of dynamical systems, linear algebra, topology, variational calculus and symplectic geometry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-arnold/celestial-mechanics-is-the-origin-of-dynamical-systems-linear-algebra/) [Vladimir Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-arnold/) > [“The hasty shake-and-bake nature of the Ymir expedition, which had stirred up so much controversy, had been forced by the implacable timeline of celestial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/the-hasty-shake-and-bake-nature-of-the-ymir-expedition-which-had/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [My wish is to construct a system of sociology on the model of celestial mechanics, physics, and chemistry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vilfredo-pareto/my-wish-is-to-construct-a-system-of-sociology-on-the-model-of/) [Vilfredo Pareto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vilfredo-pareto/) > [All mathematics is divided into three parts: cryptography (paid for by CIA, KGB and the like), hydrodynamics (supported by manufacturers of atomic submarines) and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-arnold/all-mathematics-is-divided-into-three-parts-cryptography-paid-for-by/) [Vladimir Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-arnold/) > [It had more layers than an onion. These writers meant business. There was a level for everybody. Your major could be celestial mechanics, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-west/it-had-more-layers-than-an-onion-these-writers-meant-business-there/) [Billy West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-west/) > [“Face it, people, there is more to your malaise than celestial mechanics. If you want to know why you feel so bad, you must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-k-morrow/face-it-people-there-is-more-to-your-malaise-than-celestial-mechanics/) [James K. Morrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-k-morrow/) > [“People don’t often mention God these days. God has become a taboo subject that you only refer to when heartache takes over your life.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/effrosyni-moschoudi/people-don-t-often-mention-god-these-days-god-has-become-a-taboo/) [Effrosyni Moschoudi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/effrosyni-moschoudi/) > [Every time we mention God we become theologians, and the only question is whether we are going to be good ones or bad ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/every-time-we-mention-god-we-become-theologians-and-the-only-question/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“This isn’t a religious book though I mention God, not a medical advisory though I speak of pain. It’s a circus, a mortuary, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chila-woychik/this-isn-t-a-religious-book-though-i-mention-god-not-a-medical/) [Chila Woychik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chila-woychik/) > [Everyone claims to be okay with freedom of religion, but the moment you mention God there is a strange tension that fills the air.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/everyone-claims-to-be-okay-with-freedom-of-religion-but-the-moment/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [There are many who stay away from church these days because you hardly ever mention God any more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-miller/there-are-many-who-stay-away-from-church-these-days-because-you/) [Arthur Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-miller/) > [No mention of God. They keep Him up their sleeves for as long as they can, vicars do. They know it puts people off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-bennett/no-mention-of-god-they-keep-him-up-their-sleeves-for-as-long-as-they/) [Alan Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-bennett/) > [I have trouble enough without I come five mile to hear him preach only hellfire and bloody damnation. Take it to heart, Mr. Parris.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-proctor/i-have-trouble-enough-without-i-come-five-mile-to-hear-him-preach/) [John Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-proctor/) ## More by Pierre-Simon Laplace > [It is interesting thus to follow the intellectual truths of analysis in the phenomena of nature. This correspondence, of which the system of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-simon-laplace/it-is-interesting-thus-to-follow-the-intellectual-truths-of-analysis/) [Pierre-Simon Laplace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-simon-laplace/) > [“L'homme ne poursuit que des chimères. ( Man follows only phantoms .) { His true last words, according to Augustus De Morgan .}”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-simon-laplace/l-homme-ne-poursuit-que-des-chim-res-man-follows-only-phantoms-his/) [Pierre-Simon Laplace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-simon-laplace/) > [Such is the advantage of a well constructed language that its simplified notation often becomes the source of profound theories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-simon-laplace/such-is-the-advantage-of-a-well-constructed-language-that-its/) [Pierre-Simon Laplace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-simon-laplace/) > [Napoleon: You have written this huge book on the system of the world without once mentioning the author of the universe. Laplace: Sire, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-simon-laplace/napoleon-you-have-written-this-huge-book-on-the-system-of-the-world/) [Pierre-Simon Laplace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-simon-laplace/) > [The weight of evidence for an extraordinary claim must be proportioned to its strangeness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-simon-laplace/the-weight-of-evidence-for-an-extraordinary-claim-must-be/) [Pierre-Simon Laplace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-simon-laplace/) > [“...by shortening the labours doubled the life of the astronomer. { On the benefit of John Napier 's logarithms .}”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-simon-laplace/by-shortening-the-labours-doubled-the-life-of-the-astronomer-on-the/) [Pierre-Simon Laplace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-simon-laplace/) > [We are so far from knowing all the forces of nature and their various modes of action that it would be unworthy of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-simon-laplace/we-are-so-far-from-knowing-all-the-forces-of-nature-and-their-various/) [Pierre-Simon Laplace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-simon-laplace/) > [If an event can be produced by a number n of different causes, the probabilities of the existence of these causes, given the event…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-simon-laplace/if-an-event-can-be-produced-by-a-number-n-of-different-causes-the/) [Pierre-Simon Laplace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-simon-laplace/) > [The word 'chance' then expresses only our ignorance of the causes of the phenomena that we observe to occur and to succeed one another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-simon-laplace/the-word-chance-then-expresses-only-our-ignorance-of-the-causes-of/) [Pierre-Simon Laplace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-simon-laplace/) > [The simplicity of the law by which the celestial bodies move, and the relations of their masses and distances, permit analysis to follow their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-simon-laplace/the-simplicity-of-the-law-by-which-the-celestial-bodies-move-and-the/) [Pierre-Simon Laplace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-simon-laplace/) > [His last words, according to De Morgan: Man follows only phantoms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-simon-laplace/his-last-words-according-to-de-morgan-man-follows-only-phantoms/) [Pierre-Simon Laplace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-simon-laplace/) > [The most important questions of life are indeed, for the most part, really only problems of probability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-simon-laplace/the-most-important-questions-of-life-are-indeed-for-the-most-part/) [Pierre-Simon Laplace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-simon-laplace/) > [Man follows only phantoms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-simon-laplace/man-follows-only-phantoms/) [Pierre-Simon Laplace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-simon-laplace/) > [The simplicity of nature is not to be measured by that of our conceptions. Infinitely varied in its effects, nature is simple only in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-simon-laplace/the-simplicity-of-nature-is-not-to-be-measured-by-that-of-our/) [Pierre-Simon Laplace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-simon-laplace/) > [Nature laughs at the difficulties of integration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-simon-laplace/nature-laughs-at-the-difficulties-of-integration/) [Pierre-Simon Laplace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-simon-laplace/) [Explore all 39 Pierre-Simon Laplace quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-simon-laplace/) ## More Celestial quotes > [It shows you exactly how a star is formed; nothing else can be so pretty! A cluster of vapor, the cream of the milky…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/it-shows-you-exactly-how-a-star-is-formed-nothing-else-can-be-so/) [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) > [Music. A meaningless acceleration in the rhythm of celestial experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/music-a-meaningless-acceleration-in-the-rhythm-of-celestial-experience/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There are, after all, atheists who say they wish the fable were true but are unable to suspend the requisite disbelief, or who have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/there-are-after-all-atheists-who-say-they-wish-the-fable-were-true/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [The stars begin to fade like guttering candles and are snuffed out one by one. Out in the depths of space the great celestial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-robert-harrison/the-stars-begin-to-fade-like-guttering-candles-and-are-snuffed-out/) [Edward Robert Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-robert-harrison/) > [A hidden spark of the dream sleeps In the forest and waits In the celestial spheres of the brain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dejan-stojanovic/a-hidden-spark-of-the-dream-sleeps-in-the-forest-and-waits-in-the/) [Dejan Stojanovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dejan-stojanovic/) > [What does it mean to be a Saint? In the Lord's Church, the members are Latter-day Saints, and they attempt to emulate the Savior,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-l-cook/what-does-it-mean-to-be-a-saint-in-the-lord-s-church-the-members-are/) [Quentin L. Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-l-cook/) > [Even if I knew nothing of the atoms, I would venture to assert on the evidence of the celestial phenomena themselves, supported by many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucretius/even-if-i-knew-nothing-of-the-atoms-i-would-venture-to-assert-on-the/) [Lucretius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucretius/) > [The very serpents bite their tails; the bees forget to sting, For a language so celestial setteth up a wondering. And the touch of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathalia-crane/the-very-serpents-bite-their-tails-the-bees-forget-to-sting-for-a/) [Nathalia Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathalia-crane/) > [Even broken in spirit as he is, no one can feel more deeply than he does the beauties of nature. The starry sky, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/even-broken-in-spirit-as-he-is-no-one-can-feel-more-deeply-than-he/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I despise the proper constructions and cases, because I think it very unfitting that the words of the celestial oracle should be restricted by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-gregory-i/i-despise-the-proper-constructions-and-cases-because-i-think-it-very/) [Pope Gregory I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-gregory-i/) > [The most powerful influence exercised by the Arabs on general natural physics was that directed to the advances of chemistry ; a science for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-von-humboldt/the-most-powerful-influence-exercised-by-the-arabs-on-general-natural/) [Alexander von Humboldt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-von-humboldt/) > [Just as order gave life and beauty to the earth when it was dark and void, so it does to us. Obedience helps us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-e-faust/just-as-order-gave-life-and-beauty-to-the-earth-when-it-was-dark-and/) [James E. Faust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-e-faust/) > [Before thou callest a man hero or genius, investigate whether his exertion has features of indelibility; for all that is celestial, all genius, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-kaspar-lavater/before-thou-callest-a-man-hero-or-genius-investigate-whether-his/) [Johann Kaspar Lavater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-kaspar-lavater/) > [I work in celestial mechanics, but I am not interested in getting to the moon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marston-morse/i-work-in-celestial-mechanics-but-i-am-not-interested-in-getting-to/) [Marston Morse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marston-morse/) > [Every wild apple shrub excites our expectation thus, somewhat as every wild child. It is, perhaps, a prince in disguise. What a lesson to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/every-wild-apple-shrub-excites-our-expectation-thus-somewhat-as-every/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) [Browse all 353 Celestial quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/celestial/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "To Napoleon on why his works on celestial mechanics make no mention of God: Your Highness, I have no need of this hypothesis.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Pierre-Simon Laplace" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-simon-laplace/to-napoleon-on-why-his-works-on-celestial-mechanics-make-no-mention/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Celestial" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-simon-laplace/to-napoleon-on-why-his-works-on-celestial-mechanics-make-no-mention/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9c/pierre-simon-laplace-15849_celestial_to-napoleon-on-why-his-works-on-celestia_537963.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9c/pierre-simon-laplace-15849_celestial_to-napoleon-on-why-his-works-on-celestia_537963.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9c/pierre-simon-laplace-15849_celestial_to-napoleon-on-why-his-works-on-celestia_537963.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“To Napoleon on why his works on celestial mechanics make no mention of God: Your Highness, I have no need of…” — Pierre-Simon Laplace", "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": "Pierre-Simon Laplace", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-simon-laplace/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "To Napoleon on why his works...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-simon-laplace/to-napoleon-on-why-his-works-on-celestial-mechanics-make-no-mention/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-simon-laplace/to-napoleon-on-why-his-works-on-celestial-mechanics-make-no-mention/#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 } } ] } ```