Enrico Fermi Quotes

The fundamental point in fabricating a chain reacting machine is of course to see to it that each fission produces a certain number of neutrons and some of these neutrons will again produce fission.

Experimental confirmation of a prediction is merely a measurement. An experiment disproving a prediction is a discovery.

Before I came here I was confused about this subject. Having listened to your lecture I am still confused. But on a higher level.

There are two possible outcomes: if the result confirms the hypothesis, then you've made a measurement. If the result is contrary to the hypothesis, then you've made a discovery.

Never underestimate the joy people derive from hearing something they already know.

I remember my friend Johnny von Neumann used to say, 'with four parameters I can fit an elephant and with five I can make him wiggle his trunk.'

It is not good to try to stop knowledge from going forward. Ignorance is never better than knowledge.

[on what characteristics Nobel prize winning physicists had in common] I cannot think of a single one, not even intelligence.

An experiment disproving a prediction is discovery.

Whatever Nature has in store for mankind, unpleasant as it may be, men must accept, for ignorance is never better than knowledge.

Ignorance is never better than knowledge

Young man, if I could remember the names of these particles, I would have been a botanist.

When asked what he meant by a miracle: Oh, anything with a probability of less than 20%.

It does not say in the Bible that all laws of nature are expressible linearly!

I hope it won't take long.

Ignorance is never better than knowledge.

It is no good to try to stop knowledge from going forward. Ignorance is never better than knowledge.

Before I came here, I was confused about this subject. Having listened to your lecture, I am still confused -- but on a higher level.