36 Quotes by Paul A.M. Dirac

Scientific progress is measured in units of courage, not intelligence.

The measure of greatness in a scientific idea is the extent to which it stimulates thought and opens up new lines of research.

I do not see how a man can work on the frontiers of physics and write poetry at the same time. They are in opposition.

I learnt to distrust all physical concepts as the basis for a theory. Instead one should put one’s trust in a mathematical scheme, even if the scheme does not appear at first sight to be connected with physics. One should concentrate on getting interesting mathematics.

I admired Bohr very much. We had long talks together, long talks in which Bohr did practically all the talking.

There are always more people who prefer to speak than to listen.

Hopes are always accompanied by fears, and, in scientific research, the fears are liable to become dominant.

If we are honest – and scientists have to be – we must admit that religion is a jumble of false assertions, with no basis in reality.

In science one tries to tell people, in such a way as to be understood by everyone, something that no one ever knew before. But in poetry, it is the exact opposite.