Animal Quote by William Harvey
“When in many dissections, carried out as opportunity offered upon living animals, I first addressed my mind to seeing how I could discover the function and offices of the heart's movement in animals through the use of my own eyes instead of through the books and writings of others, I kept finding the matter so truly hard and beset with difficulties that I all but thought, with Fracastoro, that the heart's movement had been understood by God alone.”
About This Quote
Source Book: De Motu Cordis, 1628
The quote describes his early experimental approach to understanding heart function, emphasizing direct observation over reliance on texts.
In simple terms: Harvey sought to learn by watching the heart directly.
Key Takeaway
Observe directly to discover truth.
Themes
science
observation
methodology
Mood
curious
analytical
Type
historical
scientific
When to use this quote
- medical research
- education
- clinical practice
- scientific inquiry
Key Concepts
anatomy
empiricism
Questions to Reflect On
- How can modern tools improve anatomical study?
- What balance should be struck between texts and observation?
A Different Perspective
Reliance on personal observation can be limited by technology of the era.
