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Sir John Sinclair
(10 May 1754 - 21 Dec 1835)
Scottish politician and writer who wrote the 21-volume work, Statistical Account of Scotland, in which hw was the first to use the word “statistics.”
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Science Quotes by Sir John Sinclair (1 quote)
In 1786, I found that in Germany they were engaged in a species of political inquiry, to which they had given the name of Statistics;… an inquiry for the purpose of ascertaining the political strength of a country, or questions respecting matters of state;… as I thought that a new word, might attract public attention, I resolved on adopting it, and I hope that it is now completely naturalised and incorporated with our language.
— Sir John Sinclair
In Statistical Account of Scotland: Drawn Up from the Communications of the Ministers of the Different Parishes, Volume 20 (1798), xiii-xiv.
See also:
- 10 May - short biography, births, deaths and events on date of Sinclair's birth.
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) -- 
