
All our knowledge has its origins in our perceptions… In nature there is no effect without a cause… Experience never errs; it is only your judgments that err by promising themselves effects such as are not caused by your experiments… Science is the observation of things possible, whether present or past; prescience is the knowledge of things which may come to pass.
quote by Leonardo da Vinci

Submitted by Catalin Popescu
Vote! | Copy! | In Romanian
Related quotes

Experience does not ever err. It is only your judgment that errs in promising itself results which are not caused by your experiments.
Leonardo da Vinci in Notebooks

Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Knowledge
What happens to our knowledge
when we pass from here?
Will it be buried with us
for an eternity to be undisturbed,
or do we leave tracks
of our knowledge behind?
Great minds have already written down
things they did not want to forget.
Is it possible that great knowledge
is gathering dust somewhere
in those forgotten chapters
of our history?
Leonardo Da Vinci’s drawings
of airplanes and submarines.
Were they just fanciful dreams,
or were they reality?
Could these things have existed,
but of their presence in history
this knowledge for them departed?
What about Atlantis
with its knowledge unbound.
Did it really disappear
beneath the waves without a sound,
and the knowledge that they held,
did that all vanish with them?
We can only speculate
where all this knowledge goes
as new minds dream of things
that may have existed in the past.
Which leaves us with the question,
what happens to our knowledge
when we pass away from here?
4 September 2008
poem by David Harris

Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Sonnet: On Knowledge
Knowledge is one thing priceless, people want;
Knowledge is something gained by labor long;
Knowledge is infinite; master, you-can't;
Knowledge is changeable, much like a song.
Knowledge is deeper than the oceans deep;
Knowledge is larger than the Universe;
Knowledge is barely in life, just a peep;
Knowledge if badly used becomes God's curse.
Knowledge remains undiminished, tho' you- share;
Knowledge gives man, a civilised outlook;
Knowledge if improper, you ought to pare;
Knowledge is gained from Nature and by book.
Knowledge can make a man a wiser one;
Knowledge gives Wisdom in the longer run.
poem by John Celes

Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
The improver of natural knowledge absolutely refuses to acknowledge authority, as such. For him, scepticism is the highest of duties; blind faith the one unpardonable sin. And it cannot be otherwise, for every great advance in natural knowledge has involved the absolute rejection of authority, the cherishing of the keenest scepticism, the annihilation of the spirit of blind faith; and the most ardent votary of science holds his firmest convictions, not because the men he most venerates hold them; not because their verity is testified by portents and wonders; but because his experience teaches him that whenever he chooses to bring these convictions into contact with their primary source, Nature — whenever he thinks fit to test them by appealing to experiment and to observation — Nature will confirm them. The man of science has learned to believe in justification, not by faith, but by verification.
quote by Thomas Henry Huxley

Submitted by Veronica Serbanoiu
Vote! | Copy!

For the truth of the conclusions of physical science, observation is the supreme Court of Appeal. It does not follow that every item which we confidently accept as physical knowledge has actually been certified by the Court; our confidence is that it would be certified by the Court if it were submitted. But it does follow that every item of physical knowledge is of a form which might be submitted to the Court. It must be such that we can specify (although it may be impracticable to carry out) an observational procedure which would decide whether it is true or not. Clearly a statement cannot be tested by observation unless it is an assertion about the results of observation. Every item of physical knowledge must therefore be an assertion of what has been or would be the result of carrying out a specified observational procedure.
Arthur Eddington in The Philosophy of Physical Science

Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!

All our knowledge has its origins in our perceptions.
quote by Leonardo da Vinci

Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
What is there to know
What is there to know
Nothing
There are so many things
We know nothing.
We should know you
You are the only person
We should know
You are holding all.
Spark is coming from you
We all are within that spark
Knowledge and science are
Part of you.
We are to know and cultivate
Knowledge and science
You possessed all
Only for our welfare.
poem by Gajanan Mishra

Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!

For the truth of the conclusions of physical science, observation is the supreme Court of Appeal. It does not follow that every item which we confidently accept as physical knowledge has actually been certified by the Court our confidence is that it would be certified by the Court if it were submitted. But it does follow that every item of physical knowledge is of a form which might be submitted to the Court. It must be such that we can specify (although it may be impracticable to carry out) an observational procedure which would decide whether it is true or not. Clearly a statement cannot be tested by observation unless it is an assertion about the results of observation. Every item of physical knowledge must therefore be an assertion of what has been or would be the result of carrying out a specified observational procedure.
quote by Arthur Eddington

Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Poetry is the breath and finer spirit of all knowledge; it is the impassioned expression which is in the countenance of all Science … In spite of difference of soil and climate, of language and manners, of laws and customs, — in spite of things silently gone out of mind, and things violently destroyed, the Poet binds together by passion and knowledge the vast empire of human society, as it is spread over the whole earth, and over all time … Poetry is the first and last of all knowledge — it is as immortal as the heart of man.
quote by William Wordsworth

Submitted by Veronica Serbanoiu
Vote! | Copy!
The knowledge of God is the cause of things. For the knowledge of God is to all creatures what the knowledge of the artificer is to things made by his art.
quote by Thomas Aquinas

Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Life a mystery, not a problem
Life a mystery not a problem
Problem
Is a situation
Which does not allow you
To reach your goal or
To get things done
As per your original schedule
Once perceived as a problem
You make use of your
Knowledge, experience,
Skill and resources
To come over it
And you may reach your goal or
Get your things done
Even if delayed
And even if falling short of
Your expectations
If a situation is perceived as a mystery
It becomes a riddle
Likely you take it more as challenge
Not just a problem solving requirement
You wonder at the
Natural ways of things taking shape
You wonder at the
Variations in the perceptions of
Others and even among people close to you
And very likely you end up
With out-of-the box thinking
And get beyond traditional ways of
Looking at things
You may even set a trend
For new and innovative approach
To the problem, nay mystery
And this mindset will help you
Enjoy living
And expand your knowledge base
With regard to human behavior
And natural laws
Which only shape your future
And carve your life style
Take life as a mystery
And do away with the thinking
That it is a problem
poem by Bashyam Narayanan

Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Knowledge Shall Increase
Learned people in the world gain more knowledge as each day goes by,
Unfortunately they never seem to acknowledge The Lord up in the sky.
Diplomas, certificates, and achievements are their present disguise,
But, The Lord up above will make foolishness the wisdom of the wise.
In the Bible the prophet Daniel stated that knowledge would increase,
However, in light of this increasing knowledge where is their peace.
Even in this world there's a peace to be found, this you can be sure,
But this peace is not of the world, but in the knowledge of The Lord.
The Lord also spoke of a famine that will spread throughout the land,
But his is not the normal famine of food that is known to common man.
It will be a spiritual famine, a worldwide famine of God's Holy Word,
Men's hearts will become harder, even some of those who have heard.
Soon all of the knowledge of the earth will be a thing of the past,
While only the knowledge of The Lord through all Eternity will last.
Man's wisdom and knowledge can be necessary down here on the earth,
But the knowledge for Heaven is higher and must include a New Birth.
This knowledge required for Eternity you will find in only one place,
It is found in God's Holy Bible, which we received through His Grace.
This knowledge is essential for everyone, when all is said and done,
For the only knowledge that will save you, is knowledge of The Son.
(Copyright © 06/2002)
The science of politics is the one science that is deposited by the streams of history, like the grains of gold in the sand of a river; and the knowledge of the past, the record of truths revealed by experience, is eminently practical, as an instrument of action and a power that goes to making the future.
quote by Lord Acton

Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Self Is Grand Mother Of All!
Knowledge is mother of fear,
minion of mother,
Understands what is fear,
Knowledge of pain,
Knowledge of failure,
knowledge of action and reaction
and when grown up,
becomes minion of fears!
Soul in the growing body,
knowledge becomes mother of fear,
May be pain of a fall,
Or a bite of ants or wasps,
knowledge of things around us is mother of fear!
Knowledge of own capabilities and inabilities,
Knowledge of bondage and faults,
Old age and death,
knowledge of pain
strain,
failure or insult,
knowledge of fall is mother of all fears!
Body, mind and intelligence,
When glows with knowledge of world,
Every thought and action,
Orbits around unknown fear,
Spinning or rotating around axis of fear,
its cute pet name is carefullness!
Paradoxically,
Fear is mother of all Knowledge,
Fear of fall,
Makes one carefull on walk,
Fear of consequences,
Makes one to think right,
act right or walk straight,
Fear is mother of all Knowledge,
Takes one above the plane,
or takes one to man of knowledge,
Make one polite and flexible,
fear of death makes one to think of eternal,
Fear of law, may be law of land,
Law of divine or law of nature is mother of knowledge,
Everyone is comes with lesson,
Either to teach or to learn,
Every fear of consequences is mother of all Knowledge divine!
Fear of flaws of own,
or flaws in human laws is mother of all Knowledge!
The best teacher never preach,
But teach to clean the knowledge that is mother of fear,
Tears off the veil of fears,
Lit the lamp of knowledge of fearlessness,
light the dark corners,
Fear of sin or reasons for the fall,
Replaced by knowledge of courage,
Expert is that captain of ship,
Drive to safe still water,
Anchore safe,
the ship swinging in storm of fear
Is safely anchored in knowledge free of fears!
Or fills with knowledge of fearless Self,
can pierce the balloon of fear,
Make one
Work well, live well and behave well!
And fear becomes a trait,
Knowledge is mother of fear,
Knowledge of old age,
Weakness of old age,
Or may be of body and mind at growing stage!
Experience of adverse
gives rise to knowledge that is mother of fears!
But experience of love and compassion,
Fear of fall is good companion,
Teaches discipline and restraint
Make one daring and caring,
Someday one will understand the paradox,
'Knowledge is mother of fears,
Fear is mother of all knowledge,
God is father, and Self is Grand mother of all! ! !
poem by Ramdas Bhandarkar

Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
The Vicks Inhaler
It is years, why decades since I use it
Only now I find Vicks is ayurvedic:
I find now it to be used within two years
From date of manufactured printed on it
At the bottom: I didnot know that either.
Partly this gives answer to my question
Of what I should look forward to in retirement.
There is so much to learn even about
Ordinary things: life made easier,
More beautiful, more helpful and so on.
My haemorrhaged brain jumps
To shlokas of short Isopanishad
Which starts with Isa word
Standing for God, the One Beyond: it says,
KNOWLEDGE and IGNORANCE take you to hell.
I am sure it does: more knowledge means
More problems and aches, like more money!
Those who have less of both will never
Understand: because for others it looks
As if more means only happiness, alas!
Things dont represent truly
What one takes out of life-
I might have used it for ever
Without correct effects. This inhaler
Has been made six years ago!
Of course in this case it is confusing
Knowing validity would make no difference?
I guess the effectiveness would be less.
Would you say beyond two years,
Would there be also ill effects?
Like the irregular patterns of stars
In the night sky - ever delightful,
It is the role that knowledge plays
On actual circumstances of life
That leads to joy or sorrow on same stuff.
poem by Daniel Trevelyn Joseph

Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
On This Tranquil Night
On this tranquil night
I imagine you and me,
Rekindling tender memories
Of how it used to be -
Some say the past
Is an illusion,
That the only reality
Is the here and now -
But what is here and now
If not a reliving of things
Long gone and anticipating
Things to come?
Life is an interplay
Of perceptions and illusions,
Of things that we see
And the things we imagine -
And I imagine you as beautiful
As ever and your gentle
Touch upon my skin,
My love,
While we get lost in the
Music of the senses,
Where the past, present
And future all merge
Into one,
Where we are free to love
And to begin again.
March 17,2006
poem by Alexander Shaumyan

Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Like all science, psychology is knowledge; and like science again, it is knowledge of a definite thing, the mind.
quote by James M. Baldwin

Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
A Good Education Need Of The Hour!
Education decides about the future life and work for all;
Education only helps to develop one’s life and work here.
Mere education is not passport to get job but it’s for life;
Mere education helps not to face life situation or crisis;
Common sense, presence of mind, general knowledge do!
For everything education is the base in the modern world;
Education is for freedom, development and fulfilment in life;
Education helps intellectual mind to acquire true knowledge.
Knowledge only can give power, freedom and satisfaction;
Knowledge of love, truth gives freedom to attain perfection.
Dharma is justice to live righteous life according to one’s nature;
Religion is to say about truth of God, dharma and culture to all;
Education is to help develop one’s capacity with apt knowledge
To express talent using ideas of knowledge in duty to do things
Beneficial to oneself, society to achieve joyful fulfilment in life!
Now education does not serve such purpose but crams knowledge
Incomplete just to do specialised jobs only for material benefits.
Complete knowledge makes link of science, literature and culture;
This could satisfy body, mind, heart and soul to achieve completion;
Love and knowledge make perfect to attain joy, peace, satisfaction!
poem by Ramesh T A

Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!

That all our knowledge begins with experience, there is indeed no doubt....but although our knowledge originates WITH experience, it does not all arise OUT OF experience.
quote by Immanuel Kant

Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Sonnet -On Experience
One cannot learn from experience always,
For Knowledge is a sea; experience, Lake;
Some learn the same in hours or weeks or days;
Some never do all life, forever fake.
Experience implies one had done mistakes;
It is much wiser to learn from others;
To forget knowledge too, experience makes;
A continued process, it is, brothers.
Experience can't vouchsafe a man is wise;
And wisdom comes to one who God well loves;
Too much of experience could turn a vice.
All need not see the burst of bombs or stoves.
By experience, no man should turn haughty,
Nor should he try to be with peers, naughty.
poem by John Celes

Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!