Yahoo Answers is shutting down on May 4th, 2021 (Eastern Time) and beginning April 20th, 2021 (Eastern Time) the Yahoo Answers website will be in read-only mode. There will be no changes to other Yahoo properties or services, or your Yahoo account. You can find more information about the Yahoo Answers shutdown and how to download your data on this help page.
Trending News
Little help with Paul Dirac's quote?
Hello, I've read biographies of Paul A. Dirac, and I'm curious to know what does the following quote mean, or at least a message to say. Of course there's an explanation about it mathematically. But I am really wondering what are your thoughts or views about it mentally?
"Pick a flower on Earth and you move the farthest star." -Paul Dirac
What I think it is about how a small force on earth can really impact a force outside of this planet toward a star. Perhaps how human nature can be strong? I may be wrong, please post some of your views.
Thank you. >.>
2 Answers
- skrewzieqLv 51 decade agoFavorite Answer
Not knowing anything about Paul Dirac, I am simply making an assumption based on the wording of the quote...but I would take it to mean that everything in the universe is related in some way. Each little thing in the universe is some how connected to each and every other little thing in the universe. Therefor, you cannot pick a flower without the ripples from the effects of that picking finally reaching the farthest star.
- LucaPacioli1492Lv 71 decade ago
The gravitational force has an infinite range although it goes off as the inverse square. In principle, moving the flower could affect anything in the universe.
However, Dirac was doubtless aware of the fact that any "signal" from such an effect would be lost in the "noise" of all other effects that dwarf it so the statement was hyperbolic, at the very least.
