A Dictionary of Scientific Quotations

by Alan L. Mackay (Compiler)

Science affects us all-in the words of Albert Einstein, "The whole of science is nothing more than a refinement of everyday thinking." It is therefore fascinating to discover the thoughts of scientists, philosophers, humanists, poets, theologians, politicians, and other miscellaneous mortals on this most important of subjects.

A Dictionary of Scientific Quotations is a personal selection of scientific quotations by Professor Alan L Mackay that includes graffiti, lines of song, proverbs, and poetry. Whether you believe that "All problems are finally scientific problems" (George Bernard Shaw) or that "Imagination is more important than knowledge" (Einstein), it is without doubt that "It is a good thing for an uneducated man to read books of quotations" (Churchill). You will be charmed and delighted by this collection and remember, "'Why,'" said the Dodo, "'the best way to explain it is to do it'" (Alice in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll).

Genres: Science, Reference

312 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1969

About the author

Alan Lindsay Mackay was a British crystallographer.

Reviews

[Edmund Chattoe-Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

There isn't a lot to say about "list" books like this except that this one is physically nicely produced and carefully edited and, as a reader with an interest in this area, it has quite a lot of "meat" (quotations I wanted to copy out into may "day book".) Well worth a look and not just for those with a hard core interest in the topic.

[Peter Macinnis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recently commended this book to an old mate, a science journalist. "I have never," he replied, "given a talk since it came out, without first consulting it."

"Me too," I said.

No passably garrulous communicator or explicator of science should be without it.