The true worth of an experimenter consists in his pursuing not only what he seeks in his experiment, but also what he did not seek. Claude Bernard More Quotes by Claude Bernard More Quotes From Claude Bernard True science teaches us to doubt and, in ignorance, to refrain. Claude Bernard ignorance doubt science The first requirement in using statistics is that the facts treated shall be reduced to comparable units. Claude Bernard requirements statistics science We must alter theory to adapt it to nature, but not nature to adapt it to theory. Claude Bernard nature natural science The investigator should have a robust faith - and yet not believe. Claude Bernard belief should-have believe The goal of scientific physicians in their own science ... is to reduce the indeterminate. Statistics therefore apply only to cases in which the cause of the facts observed is still indeterminate. Claude Bernard physicians goal science The better educated we are and the more acquired information we have, the better prepared shall we find our minds for making great and fruitful discoveries. Claude Bernard mind discovery science Men who believe too firmly in their theories, do not believe enough in the theories of others. So ... these despisers of their fellows ... make experiments only to destroy a theory, instead of to seek the truth. Claude Bernard men science believe Feeling alone guides the mind. Claude Bernard feeling-alone passion feelings The fact that knowledge endlessly recedes as the investigator is about to grasp it is what constitutes at the same time his torment and happiness. Claude Bernard investigators torment facts Our ideas are only intellectual instruments which we use to break into phenomena; we must change them when they have served their purpose, as we change a blunt lancet that we have used long enough. Claude Bernard intellectual long ideas Mediocre men often have the most acquired knowledge Claude Bernard mediocrity mediocre men The stability of the internal medium is a primary condition for the freedom and independence of certain living bodies in relation to the environment surrounding them. Claude Bernard independence environment body Effects vary with the conditions which bring them to pass, but laws do not vary. Physiological and pathological states are ruled by the same forces; they differ only because of the special conditions under which the vital laws manifest themselves. Claude Bernard special law science Tout est poison, rien n'est poison, tout est une question de dose. Everything is poisonous, nothing is poisonous, it is all a matter of dose. Claude Bernard drug poison matter We must remain, in a word, in an intellectual disposition which seems paradoxical, but which, in my opinion, represents the true mind of the investigator. We must have a robust faith and yet not believe. Claude Bernard faith science believe In teaching man, experimental science results in lessening his pride more and more by proving to him every day that primary causes, like the objective reality of things, will be hidden from him forever and that he can only know relations. Claude Bernard pride teaching reality [Those] who have an excessive faith in their theories or in their ideas are not only poorly disposed to make discoveries, but they also make very poor observations. Claude Bernard discovery science ideas The joy of discovery is certainly the liveliest that the mind of man can ever feel. Claude Bernard discovery men science In the philosophic sense, observation shows and experiment teaches. Claude Bernard observation teach science Man does not limit himself to seeing; he thinks and insists on learning the meaning of phenomena whose existence has been revealed to him by observation. So he reasons, compares facts, puts questions to them, and by the answers which he extracts, tests one by another. This sort of control, by means of reasoning and facts, is what constitutes experiment, properly speaking; and it is the only process that we have for teaching ourselves about the nature of things outside us. Claude Bernard teaching science mean
