Dirac, Paul

"The principal aim of a good scientist is not to discover but to understand."

"One cannot get away from the fundamentals, no matter how hard one tries."

"In physics, you look for something simple and elegant."

"It is impossible to do good physics by being too careful with words."

"The reason I want to be a scientist is to understand things better."

"All religions are equal in their lack of evidence for their fundamental claims."

"Success in theoretical physics requires not only intelligence but also imagination."

"The way to success is hard work combined with patience."

"I have learnt to accept the fact that I am not the cleverest person in the world."

"Knowledge is built slowly, piece by piece, with great care."

"The universe is written in the language of mathematics."

"One should not work on semiconductors, that is not real physics."

"You must have patience with everything unresolved in your heart."

"To make progress in physics, you must think deeply about simple things."

"The greatest physics happens at the boundary between ignorance and knowledge."

"I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat—in pursuit of truth."

"Creativity in science comes from questioning your deepest assumptions."

"There is no substitute for hard work, but enthusiasm makes it bearable."

"The goal of science is to make the invisible visible through mathematical law."

"If you understand something only partially, you don't really understand it at all."

"One should respect all opinions until the evidence proves otherwise."

"Nature always seems to work out in a way that is mathematically elegant."

"The path to discovery is paved with failures and mistakes."

"To advance in physics, you must be willing to overturn your own ideas."

"Beauty in mathematics is the first indication of truth."

"A successful scientist must combine rigorous thinking with daring imagination."

"The universe is far more subtle and surprising than our intuitions suggest."

"One of the most important qualities in a scientist is flexibility of mind."

"The laws of physics are written in the language of symmetry."

"To be a good scientist, you must be prepared to be wrong repeatedly."