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If the facts don't fit the theory, change the facts.

  • 06-09-2011 9:34pm
    #1
    oneill787
    Closed Accounts Posts: 95 ✭✭


    reading up on Einstein quotes and found this one. it certainly doesnt sound like something a physysist would say. anyone know the meaning of it? if this is fake? or maybe einstein was being sarcastic?


Comments

  • #2
    breadmond
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 204 ✭✭breadmond


    Facts are meaningless, you can use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true


  • #3
    Akrasia
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 22,799 ✭✭✭✭Akrasia


    breadmond wrote: »
    Facts are meaningless, you can use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true

    Isn't that a homer simpson quote?


  • #4
    cianl1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 336 ✭✭cianl1


    Akrasia wrote: »
    Isn't that a homer simpson quote?

    Sorry to lower the tone of this particular forum but +100 internets for you.

    @oneill787

    Einstein has been one of the major influences on me over the years and I've certainly come across that quote many a time. What I think was meant, or at the very least what I take from it, is that when you know in your heart and soul the theory is correct then you must gather whatever facts you can to support it. This was especially true of Einstein's life long battle against uncertainty. To the day he died he maintained his stance against the Copenhagen interpretation.

    He might also have said it as a sort of dig under the ribs at uncertainty due to the Observer effect argument.

    I don't know. Take from it what you will.


  • #5
    take everything
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,810 ✭✭✭take everything


    oneill787 wrote: »
    reading up on Einstein quotes and found this one. it certainly doesnt sound like something a physysist would say. anyone know the meaning of it? if this is fake? or maybe einstein was being sarcastic?

    Einstein was big into elegance/beauty IIRC and that quote sounds like something that values simplicity/beauty in physics over pesky facts that may not fit a beautiful, simple theory :P (with tongue firmly in cheek of course).


  • #6
    Capt'n Midnight
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 93,604 Mod ✭✭✭✭Capt'n Midnight


    "The experiment may be considered a success if no more than half the results need to be discarded to fit the theory." :pac:


    If you consider the universe as a fact then Einstein changed the universe from a Newtonian one


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  • #7
    ray giraffe
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 338 ✭✭ray giraffe


    He meant that if, for example, neutrinos are found to travel faster than light, the experiment is almost certainly wrong!


  • #8
    take everything
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,810 ✭✭✭take everything


    This excerpt (with quotes from his physicist son) about Einstein valuing beauty over observations that don't fit (:pac:), seems to chime with the sentiment of the OP quote.


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