--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think that modern physics has…" description: "\"I think that modern physics has definitely decided in favor of Plato. In fact the smallest units of matter are not physical objects in the ordinary sen..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ce/werner-heisenberg-4501_facts_i-think-that-modern-physics-has-definite_290605.jpg" --- # I think that modern physics has definitely decided in… ![“I think that modern physics has definitely decided in favor of Plato. In fact the smallest units of matter are not physical objects in the ordinary sense; they are forms, ideas which can be expressed unambiguously only in mathematical language.” quote by Werner Heisenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ce/werner-heisenberg-4501_facts_i-think-that-modern-physics-has-definite_290605.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ce/werner-heisenberg-4501_facts_i-think-that-modern-physics-has-definite_290605.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ce/werner-heisenberg-4501_facts_i-think-that-modern-physics-has-definite_290605.jpg) > “I think that modern physics has definitely decided in favor of Plato. In fact the smallest units of matter are not physical objects in the ordinary sense; they are forms, ideas which can be expressed unambiguously only in mathematical language.” [Werner Heisenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/werner-heisenberg/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Modern physics suggests that fundamental particles are abstract mathematical entities rather than tangible objects. **In simple terms:** Particles are ideas, not things. Key Takeaway Embrace abstract thinking in science. Themes physics philosophy abstraction Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type philosophical scientific When to use this quote - research - teaching - philosophical discussion Key Concepts quantum theory Platonism mathematical ontology Questions to Reflect On - How does viewing particles as ideas affect scientific practice? - Can abstract models ever fully describe reality? A Different Perspective Physical intuition may not capture quantum reality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Favors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/favors/) [Form](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/form/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Mathematical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mathematical/) [Matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter/) [Matter Physical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter-physical-2797660/) [Modern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/modern/) [Modern physics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/modern-physics/) [Ordinary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ordinary/) [Physics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/physics/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plato/) [Smallest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smallest/) [Smallest Units](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smallest-units-2797659/) [Theory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theory/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Units](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/units/) ## Related quotes > [ “\[M\]odern physics has definitely decided for Plato. For the smallest units of matter are not physical objects in the ordinary sense of the word:… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-sheldrake/m-odern-physics-has-definitely-decided-for-plato-for-the-smallest/) [Rupert Sheldrake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-sheldrake/) > [I had imagined doing nuclear physics and cosmic ray work in greater style in peace time. To do modern physics in a small way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/werner-heisenberg/i-had-imagined-doing-nuclear-physics-and-cosmic-ray-work-in-greater/) [Werner Heisenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/werner-heisenberg/) > [The violent reaction on the recent development of modern physics can only be understood when one realises that here the foundations of physics have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/werner-heisenberg/the-violent-reaction-on-the-recent-development-of-modern-physics-can/) [Werner Heisenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/werner-heisenberg/) > [Modern physics has changed nothing in the great classical disciplines of, for instance, mechanics, optics, and heat. Only the conception of hitherto unexplored regions,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/werner-heisenberg/modern-physics-has-changed-nothing-in-the-great-classical-disciplines/) [Werner Heisenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/werner-heisenberg/) > [Do not expect Plato's ideal republic; be satisfied with even the smallest step forward, and consider this no small achievement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/do-not-expect-plato-s-ideal-republic-be-satisfied-with-even-the/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [ \[T\]he democratic principle of "one man, one vote," viewed against a background of voting masses numbering several millions, only serves to demonstrate the pitiful… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-von-kuehnelt-leddihn/t-he-democratic-principle-of-one-man-one-vote-viewed-against-a/) [Erik von Kuehnelt-Leddihn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-von-kuehnelt-leddihn/) > [Do what nature now requires. Set thyself in motion, if it is in thy power, and do not look about thee to see if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/do-what-nature-now-requires-set-thyself-in-motion-if-it-is-in-thy/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [The trio is the biggest sound you can have with the smallest unit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-hunter/the-trio-is-the-biggest-sound-you-can-have-with-the-smallest-unit/) [Charlie Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-hunter/) > [The best standardisation committee in the world is nature herself, but in nature standardisation occurs mainly in connection with the smallest possible units: cells.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alvar-aalto/the-best-standardisation-committee-in-the-world-is-nature-herself-but/) [Alvar Aalto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alvar-aalto/) > [My mind was formed by studying philosophy, Plato and that sort of thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/werner-heisenberg/my-mind-was-formed-by-studying-philosophy-plato-and-that-sort-of-thing/) [Werner Heisenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/werner-heisenberg/) > [By getting to smaller and smaller units, we do not come to fundamental or indivisible units. But we do come to a point where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/werner-heisenberg/by-getting-to-smaller-and-smaller-units-we-do-not-come-to-fundamental/) [Werner Heisenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/werner-heisenberg/) > [When modern physics exerts itself to establish the world's formula, what occurs thereby is this: the being of entities has resolved itself into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-heidegger/when-modern-physics-exerts-itself-to-establish-the-world-s-formula/) [Martin Heidegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-heidegger/) > [“A good many times I have been present at gatherings of people who, by the standards of the traditional culture, are thought highly educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-p-snow/a-good-many-times-i-have-been-present-at-gatherings-of-people-who-by/) [C.P. Snow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-p-snow/) > [As modern physics started with the Newtonian revolution, so modern philosophy starts with what one might call the Cartesian Catastrophe. The catastrophe consisted in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-koestler/as-modern-physics-started-with-the-newtonian-revolution-so-modern/) [Arthur Koestler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-koestler/) > [The velocity of light occupies an extraordinary place in modern physics. It is lèse-majesté to make any criticism of the velocity of light. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-standen/the-velocity-of-light-occupies-an-extraordinary-place-in-modern/) [Anthony Standen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-standen/) ## More by Werner Heisenberg > [“Revere those things beyond science which really matter and about which it is so difficult to speak.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/werner-heisenberg/revere-those-things-beyond-science-which-really-matter-and-about/) [Werner Heisenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/werner-heisenberg/) > [“In the history of science, ever since the famous trial of Galileo, it has repeatedly been claimed that scientific truth cannot be reconciled with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/werner-heisenberg/in-the-history-of-science-ever-since-the-famous-trial-of-galileo-it/) [Werner Heisenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/werner-heisenberg/) > [The more closely you look at one thing, the less closely can you see something else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/werner-heisenberg/the-more-closely-you-look-at-one-thing-the-less-closely-can-you-see/) [Werner Heisenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/werner-heisenberg/) > [I think that if a United States of Europe were to be formed, it would be in our interests to fight for it, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/werner-heisenberg/i-think-that-if-a-united-states-of-europe-were-to-be-formed-it-would/) [Werner Heisenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/werner-heisenberg/) > [Whether we electrons, light quanta, benzol molecules, or stones, we shall always come up against these two characteristics, the corpuscular and the undular.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/werner-heisenberg/whether-we-electrons-light-quanta-benzol-molecules-or-stones-we-shall/) [Werner Heisenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/werner-heisenberg/) > [It is probably true quite generally that in the history of human thinking the most fruitful developments frequently take place at those points where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/werner-heisenberg/it-is-probably-true-quite-generally-that-in-the-history-of-human/) [Werner Heisenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/werner-heisenberg/) > [If we made atomic bombs, we would bring about a terrible change in the world. Who knows what would happen from this?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/werner-heisenberg/if-we-made-atomic-bombs-we-would-bring-about-a-terrible-change-in-the/) [Werner Heisenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/werner-heisenberg/) > [The positivists have a simple solution: the world must be divided into that which we can say clearly and the rest, which we had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/werner-heisenberg/the-positivists-have-a-simple-solution-the-world-must-be-divided-into/) [Werner Heisenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/werner-heisenberg/) > [“what we observe is not nature itself, but nature exposed to our method of questioning’.77”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/werner-heisenberg/what-we-observe-is-not-nature-itself-but-nature-exposed-to-our-method/) [Werner Heisenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/werner-heisenberg/) > [A consistent pursuit of classical physics forces a transformation in the very heart of that physics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/werner-heisenberg/a-consistent-pursuit-of-classical-physics-forces-a-transformation-in/) [Werner Heisenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/werner-heisenberg/) > [ It was about three o'clock at night when the final result of the calculation \[which gave birth to quantum mechanics\] lay before me ...… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/werner-heisenberg/it-was-about-three-o-clock-at-night-when-the-final-result-of-the/) [Werner Heisenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/werner-heisenberg/) > [Only a few know, how much one must know to know how little one knows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/werner-heisenberg/only-a-few-know-how-much-one-must-know-to-know-how-little-one-knows/) [Werner Heisenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/werner-heisenberg/) > [“We have to remember that what we observe is not nature in itself but nature exposed to our method of questioning. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/werner-heisenberg/we-have-to-remember-that-what-we-observe-is-not-nature-in-itself-but/) [Werner Heisenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/werner-heisenberg/) > [The end of the First World War had thrown Germany's youth into great turmoil. The reins of power had fallen from the hands of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/werner-heisenberg/the-end-of-the-first-world-war-had-thrown-germany-s-youth-into-great/) [Werner Heisenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/werner-heisenberg/) > [Nature is made in such a way as to be able to be understood. Or perhaps I should put it-more correctly-the other way around,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/werner-heisenberg/nature-is-made-in-such-a-way-as-to-be-able-to-be-understood-or/) [Werner Heisenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/werner-heisenberg/) [Explore all 109 Werner Heisenberg quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/werner-heisenberg/) ## More Facts quotes > [It is indeed a surprising and fortunate fact that nature can be expressed by relatively low-order mathematical functions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolf-carnap/it-is-indeed-a-surprising-and-fortunate-fact-that-nature-can-be/) [Rudolf Carnap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolf-carnap/) > [So the fool, as distinct from the scoundrel, is completely self- satisfied; in fact, he can easily become dangerous, as it does not take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/so-the-fool-as-distinct-from-the-scoundrel-is-completely-self/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [He bombarded me with words, of all things, apparently clueless to the fact that the predawn hours rendered me incapable of coherent thought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darynda-jones/he-bombarded-me-with-words-of-all-things-apparently-clueless-to-the/) [Darynda Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darynda-jones/) > [Scrabble - The game is available in Braille. That’s a nice fact. This makes me feel better about humanity for some reason. I can’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/scrabble-the-game-is-available-in-braille-that-s-a-nice-fact-this/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm Fine!, the most common LIE in the world...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/punkinhead-abhishek/i-m-fine-the-most-common-lie-in-the-world/) [Punkinhead Abhishek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/punkinhead-abhishek/) > [The time that one gains cannot be accumulated in a storehouse; it is contradictory to want to save up existence, which, the fact is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/the-time-that-one-gains-cannot-be-accumulated-in-a-storehouse-it-is/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [What is history after all? History is facts which become lies in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-cocteau/what-is-history-after-all-history-is-facts-which-become-lies-in-the/) [Jean Cocteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-cocteau/) > [Don't take too much comfort in the fact that you're successful today because tomorrow could bring failure. There's no surety in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-savage/don-t-take-too-much-comfort-in-the-fact-that-you-re-successful-today/) [Michael Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-savage/) > [I am told many children block out the memory of trauma. In fact, the healing process can only truly begin when we are willing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-stone/i-am-told-many-children-block-out-the-memory-of-trauma-in-fact-the/) [Phoebe Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-stone/) > [Because the truth is that gossip is as good as gospel in this town. You can save face but you won't ever save your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-oberst/because-the-truth-is-that-gossip-is-as-good-as-gospel-in-this-town/) [Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/) > [Truth be told from compulsive liars with a history/Everything must change 2nd chances are a mystery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-dash/truth-be-told-from-compulsive-liars-with-a-history-everything-must/) [C-DASH](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-dash/) > [We did an episode where she goes out to get a job and she gets fired because she's not good. They hire a babysitter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-heaton/we-did-an-episode-where-she-goes-out-to-get-a-job-and-she-gets-fired/) [Patricia Heaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-heaton/) > [Le biologiste passe, la grenouille reste. The biologist passes, the frog remains.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rostand/le-biologiste-passe-la-grenouille-reste-the-biologist-passes-the-frog/) [Jean Rostand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rostand/) > [I guess he'll have to figure out someday that he is supposed to have this dark side, that it is part of what it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/i-guess-he-ll-have-to-figure-out-someday-that-he-is-supposed-to-have/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [The fact -- not theory -- that evolution has occurred and the Darwinian theory as to how it occurred have become so confused in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-gaylord-simpson/the-fact-not-theory-that-evolution-has-occurred-and-the-darwinian/) [George Gaylord Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-gaylord-simpson/) [Browse all 19,906 Facts quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think that modern physics has definitely decided in favor of Plato. In fact the smallest units of matter are not physical objects in the ordinary sense; they are forms, ideas which can be expressed unambiguously only in mathematical language.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Werner Heisenberg" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/werner-heisenberg/i-think-that-modern-physics-has-definitely-decided-in-favor-of-plato/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Facts" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/werner-heisenberg/i-think-that-modern-physics-has-definitely-decided-in-favor-of-plato/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ce/werner-heisenberg-4501_facts_i-think-that-modern-physics-has-definite_290605.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ce/werner-heisenberg-4501_facts_i-think-that-modern-physics-has-definite_290605.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ce/werner-heisenberg-4501_facts_i-think-that-modern-physics-has-definite_290605.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I think that modern physics has definitely decided in favor of Plato. In fact the smallest units of matter…” — Werner Heisenberg", "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": "Werner Heisenberg", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/werner-heisenberg/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I think that modern physics has...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/werner-heisenberg/i-think-that-modern-physics-has-definitely-decided-in-favor-of-plato/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/werner-heisenberg/i-think-that-modern-physics-has-definitely-decided-in-favor-of-plato/#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 } } ] } ```