Robert Boyle Quotes
Robert Boyle was an Anglo-Irish natural philosopher, chemist, and theologian and one of the founders of the Royal Society. His Sceptical Chymist helped to transform alchemy into modern chemistry, while Boyle's law in pneumatics bears his name. The quotes below are attributed to Robert Boyle, organized by topic.
Browse Robert Boyle by topic
Robert Boyle on Freedom
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“For it very rarely otherwise happens, than that theories, that are grounded but upon few and obvious experiments, are subject to be contradicted by some such instances, as more free and diligent inquiries into what of nature is more abstruse, or even into the less obvious qualities of things, are wont to bring to light.”
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Robert Boyle on God
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Attributed to Robert Boyle:
“Nature is the work of God; the natural philosopher is its priest.”
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Attributed to Robert Boyle:
“All natural things are made by God for the contemplation of intelligent beings.”
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“I shall take leave to think the worse, rather of the practice of the men than of the book of God.”
Some Considerations Touching the Style of the Holy Scriptures" (1661) "Seventh Objection", as quoted in Treatises on the High Veneration Man's Intellect Owes to God: on Things Above Reason; and on The Style of the Holy Scriptures (1835) p. 182 -
“Some Considerations Touching the Style of the Holy Scriptures" (1661) "Seventh Objection", as quoted in Treatises on the High Veneration Man's Intellect Owes to God: on Things Above Reason; and on The Style of the Holy Scriptures (1835) p. 182”
I shall take leave to think the worse, rather of the practice of the men than of the book of God.
Robert Boyle on Knowledge
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Attributed to Robert Boyle:
“Things are to be inquired into by experiment, not by argument from authority.”
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Attributed to Robert Boyle:
“True science begins where prejudice ends.”
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“Those hypotheses do not a little hinder the progress of Humane knowledge, that introduce Morals and Politicks into the Explications of Corporeal Nature, where all things are indeed transacted according to Laws Mechanical.”
Reflections upon the Hypothesis of Alcali and Acidum (1675) p. 33. -
“Reflections upon the Hypothesis of Alcali and Acidum (1675) p. 33.”
Those hypotheses do not a little hinder the progress of Humane knowledge, that introduce Morals and Politicks into the Explications of Corporeal Nature, where all things are indeed transacted according to Laws Mechanical. -
“And therefore I think you have done very wisely to make it your business to consider the Phœnomena relating to the present question, which have been afforded by experiments, especially since it might seem injurious to our senses, by whose mediation we acquire so much of the knowledge we have of things corporal, to have recourse to far-fetched and abstracted Ratiocination, to know what are the sensible ingredients of those sensible things that we daily see and handle, and are supposed to have the liberty to untwist (if I may so speak) into the primitive bodies they consist of.”
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“I cannot conceive, how a body, destitute of understanding and sense, truly so called, can moderate and determine its own motions; especially so as to make them conformable to laws that it has no knowledge of.”
A Free Inquiry into the Vulgar Notion of Nature (1682) | Sect.1. -
“Doubtless, it shews the wisdom of God, to have so fram'd things at first, that there can seldom or never need any extraordinary interposition of his power; or the employing from, time to time, an intelligent overseer, to regulate, assist, and control the motions of matter.”
A Free Inquiry into the Vulgar Notion of Nature (1682) | Sect.1.
Robert Boyle on Mind
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“A Person any Thing vers’d in the Writings of Chymists cannot but Discern by their obscure, Ambiguous, and almost Ænigmatical Way of expressing what they pretend to Teach, that they have no Mind, to be understood at all , but by the Sons of Art (as they call them) nor to be Understood even by these without Difficulty And Hazardous Tryalls.”
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Robert Boyle on Nature
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Attributed to Robert Boyle:
“The world is a great piece of clockwork.”
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“The phaenomena afforded by trades, are a part of the history of nature, and therefore may both challenge the naturalist's curiosity and add to his knowledge, Nor will it suffice to justify learned men in the neglect and contempt of this part of natural history, that the men, from whom it must be learned, are illiterate mechanicks... is indeed childish, and too unworthy of a philosopher, to be worthy of an honest answer.”
That the Goods of Mankind May be Much Increased by the Naturalist's Insight into Trades" in the Works of Robert Boyle , (1772) Vol.3 as quoted in Clifford D. Conner , A People's History of Science (2005) Note: Compare Francis Bacon's The Great Instauration
Robert Boyle on Time
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“That the Goods of Mankind May be Much Increased by the Naturalist's Insight into Trades" in the Works of Robert Boyle , (1772) Vol.3 as quoted in Clifford D. Conner , A People's History of Science (2005) Note: Compare Francis Bacon's The Great Instauration”
The phaenomena afforded by trades, are a part of the history of nature, and therefore may both challenge the naturalist's curiosity and add to his knowledge, Nor will it suffice to justify learned men in the neglect and contempt of this part of natural history, that the men, from whom it must be learned, are illiterate mechanicks... is indeed childish, and too unworthy of a philosopher, to be wort
Robert Boyle on Truth
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“For it has been truly observed by a great philosopher, that truth does more easily emerge out of error than confusion.”
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