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Ernst Mach Biography

Ernst Waldfried Josef Wenzel Mach (/ˈmɑːx/; German: [ˈɛɐ̯nst max]; 18 February 1838 – 19 February 1916) was an Austrian physicist and philosopher, noted for his contributions to physics such as study of shock waves. The ratio of one's speed to that of sound is named the Mach number in his honor. As a philosopher of science, he was a major influence on logical positivism and American pragmatism. Through his criticism of Newton's theories of space and time, he foreshadowed Einstein's theory of relativity.

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Ernst Mach Quotes

If our dreams were more regular, more connected, more stable, they would also have more practical importance for us.

Connected, Dream, Dreams, Importance, Individualism

Not bodies produce sensations, but element-complexes (sensation-complexes) constitute the bodies. When the physicist considers the bodies as the permanent reality, the `elements' as the transient appearance, he does not realise that all `bodies' are only mental symbols for element-complexes (sensation-complexes

Bodies, Doe, Elements, Produce, Reality, Symbols

A colour is a physical object as soon as we consider its dependence, for instance, upon its luminous source, upon other colours, upon temperatures, upon spaces, and so forth.

Colour, Luminous, Object, Source, Space, Temperature

Archimedes constructing his circle pays with his life for his defective biological adaptation to immediate circumstances.

Archimedes, Circles, Immediate, Life, Math, Pays

Ordinarily pleasure and pain are regarded as different from sensations.

Different, Medicine, Ordinarily, Pain, Philosophy, Sensations

The ego is as little absolutely permanent as are bodies.

Bodies, Body, Ego, Littles, Permanent

The history of the development of mechanics is quite indispensable to a full comprehension of the science in its present condition. It also affords a simple and instructive example or the processes by which natural science generally is developed.

Development, Example, Indispensable, Natural, Simple

Thing, body, matter, are nothing apart from the combinations of the elements, - the colours, sounds, and so forth - nothing apart from their so-called attributes.

Attributes, Body, Elements, Forth, Sound, Thing

When I recall today my early youth, I should take the boy that I then was, with the exception of a few individual features, for a different person, were it not for the existence of the chain of memories.

Boy, Boys, Chain, Exception, Memories, Ties

In reality, the law always contains less than the fact itself, because it does not reproduce the fact as a whole but only in that aspect of it which is important for us, the rest being intentionally or from necessity omitted.

Fact, Important, Law, Omitted, Reality

My table is now brightly, now dimly lighted. Its temperature varies. It may receive an ink stain. One of its legs may be broken. It may be repaired, polished, and replaced part by part. But, for me, it remains the table at which I daily write.

Broken, Dimly, Ink, Receive, Remains, Writing

The presentations and conceptions of the average man of the world are formed and dominated, not by the full and pure desire for knowledge as an end in itself, but by the struggle to adapt himself favourably to the conditions of life.

Average, Desire, Man, Men, Struggle

Mathematics may be defined as the economy of counting. There is no problem in the whole of mathematics which cannot be solved by direct counting.

Defined, Math, May, Problem, Solved

I know of nothing more terrible than the poor creatures who have learned too much. Instead of the sound powerful judgement which would probably have grown up if they had learned nothing, their thoughts creep timidly and hypnotically after words, principles and formulae, constantly by the same paths. What they have acquired is a spider's web of thoughts too weak to furnish sure supports, but complicated enough to provide confusion.

Confusion, Enough, Powerful, Support, Web

Similarly, many a young man, hearing for the first time of the refraction of stellar light, has thought that doubt was cast on the whole of astronomy, whereas nothing is required but an easily effected and unimportant correction to put everything right again.

Cast, Doubt, Light, Men, Stellar

I once knew an otherwise excellent teacher who compelled his students to perform all their demonstrations with incorrect figures, on the theory that it was the logical connection of the concepts, not the figure, that was essential.

Compelled, Essentials, Excellent, Figures, Science, Teacher

The acquisition of the most elementary truth does not devolve upon the individual alone: it is pre-effected in the development of the race.

Acquisition, Alone, Doe, Elementary, Race, Truth

I can accept the theory of relativity as little as I can accept the existence of atoms and other such dogmas.

Atoms, Dogmas, Follow Your Dreams, Littles, Theory

Without renouncing the support of physics, it is possible for the physiology of the senses, not only to pursue its own course of development, but also to afford to physical science itself powerful assistance.

Assistance, Development, Possible, Powerful, Science, Support

It would not become physical science to see in its self created, changeable, economical tools, molecules and atoms, realities behind phenomena. . . The atom must remain a tool for representing phenomena.

Reality, Representing, Science, See, Self, Tools

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