Enrico Fermi > Quotes

“Before I came here, I was confused about this subject. Having listened to your lecture, I am still confused -- but on a higher level.”
― Enrico Fermi

“There are two possible outcomes: if the result confirms the hypothesis, then you've made a measurement. If the result is contrary to the hypothesis, then you've made a discovery”
― Enrico Fermi

“If I could remember the names of these particles, I would have been a botanist.”
― Enrico Fermi

“Whatever Nature has in store for mankind, unpleasant as it may be, men must accept, for ignorance is never better than knowledge.”
― Enrico Fermi

“When asked what characteristics Nobel prize winning physicists had in common ؛ I cannot think of a single one, not even intelligence”
― Enrico Fermi

“The fact that no limits exist to the destructiveness of this weapon [the 'Super', i.e. the hydrogen bomb] makes its very existence and the knowledge of its construction a danger to humanity as a whole. It is necessarily an evil thing considered in any light. For these reasons, we believe it important for the President of the United States to tell the American public and the world what we think is wrong on fundamental ethical principles to initiate the development of such a weapon.”
― Enrico Fermi

“Such a weapon goes far beyond any military objective and enters the range of very great natural catastrophes. By its very nature it cannot be confined to a military objective but becomes a weapon which in practical effect is almost one of genocide”
― Enrico Fermi

“It is clear that the use of such a weapon cannot be justified on any ethical ground which gives a human being a certain individuality and dignity even if he happens to be a resident of an enemy country.”
― Enrico Fermi

“One might be led to question whether the scientists acted wisely in presenting the statesmen of the world with this appalling problem. Actually there was no choice. Once basic knowledge is acquired, any attempt at preventing its fruition would be as futile as hoping to stop the earth from revolving around the sun.”
― Enrico Fermi, Collected Papers of Enrico Fermi, Vol. 2, United States, 1939-45

“The fact that no limits exist to the destructiveness of this weapon makes its very existence and the knowledge of its construction a danger to humanity as a whole. It is necessarily an evil thing considered in any light.”
― Enrico Fermi

“Never make anything more accurate than it needs to be.”
― Enrico Fermi

“Young man, if I could remember the names of these [muons, pions, etc.] particles, I would have been a botanist.”
― Enrico Fermi

“if I had known there would be so many particles with Greek names, I would have been a botanist rather than a physicist.”
― Enrico Fermi

“İlerlemek istiyorsan küçük çevrendeki, küçük çıkarlarla zaman kaybetme. Kafanı kaldır, en iyilere bak; gücün yetiyorsa onlarla yarış, yetmiyorsa onları taklit et.”
― Enrico Fermi