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Martin Folkes
(29 Oct 1690 - 28 Jun 1754)
English mathematician, astronomer and numismatist whose interest in coins and artifacts left him more inclined to literary and rather uninspired in scientific matters. Nevertheless, he became president of the Royal Society (1741-52). Under his weak leadership, the Royal Society’s professional character atrophied, and its meetings and publications were criticized for shallowness.
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Science Quotes by Martin Folkes (1 quote)
We have seen so many, and those of his [Leeuwenhoek] most surprising discoveries, so perfectly confirmed by great numbers of the most curious and judicious Observers, that there can surely be no reason to distrust his accuracy in those others which have not yet been so frequently or carefully examined.
— Martin Folkes
In 'Account of Mr. Leeuwenhoek’s Microscopes', Philosophical Transactions (Nov-Dec 1723), No. 380, Sec. 6, 453. At the time of writing, Folkes was the Royal Society vice-president.
In science it often happens that scientists say, 'You know that's a really good argument; my position is mistaken,' and then they would actually change their minds and you never hear that old view from them again. They really do it. It doesn't happen as often as it should, because scientists are human and change is sometimes painful. But it happens every day. I cannot recall the last time something like that happened in politics or religion.
(1987) -- 
