John Archibald Wheeler

island ignorance knowledge

“We live on an island surrounded by a sea of ignorance. As our island of knowledge grows, so does the shore of our ignorance.”

― John Archibald Wheeler (1911-2008)

field strangest explore

“In any field, find the strangest thing and then explore it.”

― John Archibald Wheeler (1911-2008)

universe consciousness meaning

“The universe gives birth to consciousness, and consciousness gives meaning to the universe.”

― John Archibald Wheeler (1911-2008)

calculation answer estimate argument guess instinct

“Never make a calculation until you know the answer. Make an estimate before every calculation, try a simple physical argument (symmetry! invariance! conservation!) before every derivation, guess the answer to every paradox and puzzle. Courage: No one else needs to know what the guess is. Therefore make it quickly, by instinct. A right guess reinforces this instinct. A wrong guess brings the refreshment of surprise. In either case life as a spacetime expert, however long, is more fun!”

― John Archibald Wheeler (1911-2008)

happiness contemplation mystery

“Yes, there is happiness to be found in the mere contemplation of the deepest mysteries.”

― John Archibald Wheeler (1911-2008)

calculation answer

“Never make a calculation until you know the answer.”

― John Archibald Wheeler (1911-2008)

knowledge progress mistake failure

“Knowledge only progresses by making mistakes as fast as possible.”

― John Archibald Wheeler (1911-2008)

Wheeler - information physics computer

"it is not unreasonable to imagine that information sits at the core of physics, just as it sits at the core of a computer"

—John Archibald Wheeler (1911-2008)

event law numerous formula firm form

“Individual events. Events beyond law. Events so numerous and so uncoordinated that, flaunting their freedom from formula, they yet fabricate firm form.”

― John Archibald Wheeler (1911-2008)

nobody anybody somebody

“Nobody can be anybody without somebodies around.”

― John Archibald Wheeler (1911-2008)

spacetime mass move curve

“Spacetime grips mass, telling it how to move...

Mass grips spacetime, telling it how to curve”

― John Archibald Wheeler (1911-2008)

create artist scientist writer self-confidence human character

“Anyone who expects to create, be it as a scientist or artist, scholar or writer, needs self-confidence, even bravado. How else can one dare to imagine understanding what no one else has understood, discovering what no one else has discovered? Where does this confidence come from? Fortunately, every young person is blessed with some of it. It is part of human character.”

― John Archibald Wheeler (1911-2008)

university student educate professor

"We all know that the real reason universities have students is in order to educate the professors."

― John Archibald Wheeler (1911-2008)

participant observer quantum universe

"'Participant' is the incontrovertible new concept given by quantum mechanics. It strikes down the 'observer' of classical theory, the man who stands safely behind the thick glass wall and watches what goes on without taking part. It can't be done, quantum mechanics says it...May the universe in some sense be 'brought into being' by the participation of those who participate?"

― John Archibald Wheeler (1911-2008)

It from Bit symbolize physical world source information

"It from Bit symbolizes the idea that every item of the physical world has at bottom an immaterial source and explanation... that all things physical are information-theoretic in origin and that this is a participatory universe."

― John Archibald Wheeler (1911-2008)

simple idea discover beautiful

"It is my opinion that everything must be based on a simple idea. And it is my opinion that this idea, once we have finally discovered it, will be so compelling, so beautiful, that we will say to one another, yes, how could it have been any different."

― John Archibald Wheeler (1911-2008)

strange find day disappoint

"If you haven't found something strange during the day, it hasn't been much of a day."

― John Archibald Wheeler (1911-2008)

learn teach

"One can only learn by teaching."

― John Archibald Wheeler (1911-2008)

lifetime physics three periods particle fields information

"I think of my lifetime in physics as divided into three periods: In the first period ...I was convinced that everything is particle; I call my second period: everything is fields; Now I have new vision, namely that everything is information"

― John Archibald Wheeler (1911-2008)