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Home > Dictionary of Science Quotations > Scientist Names Index R > Johann Philipp Reis Quotes

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Johann Philipp Reis
(7 Jan 1834 - 14 Jan 1874)

German physicist.


Science Quotes by Johann Philipp Reis (1 quote)

Misattributed to Johann Reiss. Probably by Peter Reiss.
Die Chemie ist der unreinliche Teil der Physik.
Chemistry is the dirty part of physics.
— Johann Philipp Reis
Webmaster believes this quote should be attributed to Peter Reiss, having found the following example cited for Peter Reiss. Original German as quoted by Paul Krische, Wie Studiert man Chemie? (1904), 67, who also stated that Peter Reiss was a friend of Friedrich Wöhler (both chemists). English version as given in Chemisch Weekblad (1925), 22, 363. In various recent books, the quote is cited as by physicist Johann Philipp Reis. This confusion appears, for example in Ralph Oesper, The Human Side of Scientists (1975), 116.
Science quotes on:  |  Chemistry (376)  |  Dirty (17)  |  Misattributed (19)  |  Part (235)  |  Physic (515)  |  Physics (564)



Quotes by others about Johann Philipp Reis (1)

Ohm (a distinguished mathematician, be it noted) brought into order a host of puzzling facts connecting electromotive force and electric current in conductors, which all previous electricians had only succeeded in loosely binding together qualitatively under some rather vague statements. Even as late as 20 years ago, “quantity” and “tension” were much used by men who did not fully appreciate Ohm's law. (Is it not rather remarkable that some of Germany's best men of genius should have been, perhaps, unfairly treated? Ohm; Mayer; Reis; even von Helmholtz has mentioned the difficulty he had in getting recognised. But perhaps it is the same all the world over.)
Science quotes on:  |  Appreciate (67)  |  Best (467)  |  Conductor (17)  |  Current (122)  |  Difficulty (201)  |  Distinguish (168)  |  Distinguished (84)  |  Electric (76)  |  Electrician (6)  |  Electricity (168)  |  Fact (1257)  |  Facts (553)  |  Force (497)  |  Genius (301)  |  Germany (16)  |  Hermann von Helmholtz (32)  |  Late (119)  |  Law (913)  |  Mathematician (407)  |  Robert Mayer (9)  |  Men Of Science (147)  |  Mention (84)  |  Ohm (5)  |  Georg Simon Ohm (3)  |  Order (638)  |  Puzzle (46)  |  Puzzling (8)  |  Quantity (136)  |  Recognition (93)  |  Statement (148)  |  Succeed (114)  |  Tension (24)  |  Together (392)  |  Treatment (135)  |  Unfair (9)  |  Vague (50)  |  World (1850)  |  Year (963)


See also:
  • 7 Jan - short biography, births, deaths and events on date of Reis's birth.

Carl Sagan Thumbnail 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) -- Carl Sagan
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