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Arnold J. Toynbee
(14 Apr 1889 - 22 Oct 1975)
English historian and philosopher of history who described himself as a “metahistorian” whose “intelligible field of study” was civilization. His magnum opus was titled A Study of History. The 12 volumes were published separately spread through 40 years (1921-1961). His output of papers and articles has been described as prodigious. He was respected as a scholar for his speeches and in discussions.
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Science Quotes by Arnold J. Toynbee (1 quote)
Physical Science and Industrialism may be conceived as a pair of dancers, both of whom know their steps and have an ear for the rhythm of the music. If the partner who has been leading chooses to change parts and to follow instead, there is perhaps no reason to expect that he will dance less correctly than before.
— Arnold J. Toynbee
From 'Introduction: The Geneses of Civilizations', A Study of History (1948), Vol. 1, 3, footnote.
Quotes by others about Arnold J. Toynbee (2)
In the index to the six hundred odd pages of Arnold Toynbee’s A Study of History, abridged version, the names of Copernicus, Galileo, Descartes and Newton do not occur … yet their cosmic quest destroyed the mediaeval vision of an immutable social order in a walled-in universe and transformed the European landscape, society, culture, habits and general outlook, as thoroughly as if a new species had arisen on this planet.
First lines of 'Preface', in The Sleepwalkers: A History of Man’s Changing Vision of the Universe (1959), 13.
In the index to the six hundred odd pages of Arnold Toynbee’s A Study of History, abridged version, the names of Copernicus, Galileo, Descartes and Newton do not occur yet their cosmic quest destroyed the medieval vision of an immutable social order in a walled-in universe and transformed the European landscape, society, culture, habits and general outlook, as thoroughly as if a new species had arisen on this planet.
In The Sleepwalkers: A History of Man's Changing Vision of the Universe (1959), Preface, 13.
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) -- 
