"The ancients considered mechanics in a twofold respect; as rational, which proceeds accurately by demonstration, and practical. To practical mechanics all the manual arts belong, from which mechanics took its name. But as artificers do not work with perfect accuracy, it comes to pass that mechanics is so distinguished from geometry, that what is perfectly accurate is called geometrical; what is less so is called mechanical. But the errors are not in the art, but in the artificers. He that works with less accuracy is an imperfect mechanic: and if any could work with perfect accuracy, he would be the most perfect mechanic of all; for the description of right lines and circles, upon which geometry is founded, belongs to mechanics. Geometry does not teach us to draw these lines, but requires them to be drawn; for it requires that the learner should first be taught to describe these accurately, before he enters upon geometry; then it shows how by these operations problems may be solved."
React to this quote
More by Isaac Newton
See allResonant Thoughts
"But it is better to assume principles less in number and finite, as Empedocles makes them to be. All philosophers... make principles to be contraries... (for Parmenides makes principles to be hot and …"
Explore Further
Related Quotes
"You know the story of 'Alice in Wonderland'. The red queen has to run faster and faster to keep still where…"
— U. G. Krishnamurti"Lucky fools do not bear the slightest suspicion that they may be lucky fools - by definition, they do not k…"
— Nassim Nicholas Taleb"As we shall see in this book's chapters, traditional societies are far more diverse in many of their cultur…"
— Jared Diamond"There are notes between notes, you know."
— Sarah Vaughan"I don't know about you, but I fucked a midget. I have secrets."
— Kathy Griffin"War is planned devastation and organized slaughter. ...War is continued devastation and slaughter until the…"
— Kirby Page
Related Thinkers
Related Topics
Deep Dives
- Leonardo da Vinci on knowledge
- Blaise Pascal on knowledge
- Nicholas of Cusa on knowledge
- Kenneth Arrow on knowledge
- W. Edwards Deming on knowledge
- Charles Babbage on knowledge
- John Wallis on knowledge
- William A. Dembski on knowledge
- Leonardo da Vinci on life
- Leonardo da Vinci on nature
- justice & Beauty
- justice & Change
