In physical science a first essential step in the direction
of learning any subject is to find principles of numerical reckoning and practical methods for measuring
some quality connected with it. I often say that when
you can measure what you are speaking about, and
express it in numbers you know something about it;
but when you cannot measure it, when you cannot
express it in numbers your knowledge is of a meager
and unsatisfactory kind: it may be the beginning of
knowledge, but you have scarcely, in your thoughts,
advanced to the stage of science, whatever the matter
may be (Thomson, 1891).
Chapter 4
Physical quantities, fields, dimensions,
and scaling
Earth’s crust under the state of Texas being lifted by a crane.
Scaling laws demonstrate that the good state of Texas is
utterly incapable of self-support. Reprinted from Hubbert
(1945) by permission of the AAPG whose permission is
required for further use.
of learning any subject is to find principles of numerical reckoning and practical methods for measuring
some quality connected with it. I often say that when
you can measure what you are speaking about, and
express it in numbers you know something about it;
but when you cannot measure it, when you cannot
express it in numbers your knowledge is of a meager
and unsatisfactory kind: it may be the beginning of
knowledge, but you have scarcely, in your thoughts,
advanced to the stage of science, whatever the matter
may be (Thomson, 1891).
Chapter 4
Physical quantities, fields, dimensions,
and scaling
Earth’s crust under the state of Texas being lifted by a crane.
Scaling laws demonstrate that the good state of Texas is
utterly incapable of self-support. Reprinted from Hubbert
(1945) by permission of the AAPG whose permission is
required for further use.