Continue to Site

Eng-Tips is the largest engineering community on the Internet

Intelligent Work Forums for Engineering Professionals

  • Congratulations waross on being selected by the Eng-Tips community for having the most helpful posts in the forums last week. Way to Go!

A good quote from Lord Kelvin 3

Status
Not open for further replies.

bjb

Structural
Nov 8, 2002
455
I found this quote while doing some research. It struck a chord with me. When accused of "over-designing" something, I check my calcs to make sure I have not made an error. If I haven't, my response to the challenger is "prove to me that what you say is true since I can back up what I say".

"In physical science the first essential step in the direction of learning any subject is to find principles of numerical reckoning and practicable methods for measuring some quality connected with it. I often say that when you can measure what you are speaking about, and express it in numbers, you know something about it; but when you cannot measure it, when you cannot express it in numbers, your knowledge is of a meagre and unsatisfactory kind; it may be the beginning of knowledge, but you have scarcely in your thoughts advanced to the state of Science, whatever the matter may be."
 
Replies continue below

Recommended for you

Deciphered: What you do not know will bit you in the ass for sure.

Best regards
pennpoint
 
Great quote.

"knowledge ... of a meagre and unsatisfactory kind... scarcely ... advanced to the state of Science"

perfectly describes the thread
Nitrogen filled tires?
thread108-120996
 
My former employer used to say, "If you can't tell me what your safety factor is, you can't tell me anything".
 
A QUOTATION FROM THE PRESENT

University Research:
Basal stress on the inverted pyramid Design

January 1967 1982 2005
_ Many supported by the Few _
2006



THIS IS A CONSEQUENCE OF 39 YEARS SLOG AND NOTING A GOOD DESIGN OFF THE M4 LONDON ENTRANCE, SOUTH SIDE, OF A SMALL BASE, WIDE TOWER SQUARE SECTION,
AS AN EXAMPLE, WELL BEFORE NORMAN FOSTER PUT UP HIS SPIRAL

I EXPECT EVERYBODY ELSE FEELS THE SAME ON SOME DAYS
BUT WE KEEP HOLDING THE GENERAL PUBLIC UP AND KEEP TEACHING STUDENTS HOW TO
AS CAROL VORDERMAN USED TO SAY

Mike Stagg BScWales MSc
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Part and Inventory Search

Sponsor