Abraham Pais quotes

Abraham Pais was a renowned physicist who made significant contributions to the field of quantum mechanics. Born in the Netherlands in 1918, he later moved to the United States where he worked alongside esteemed physicists such as Niels Bohr and Albert Einstein. Pais is best known for his work on the theory of elementary particles and his biographies of Einstein. His expertise and knowledge continue to influence and inspire the next generation of physicists. Learn more about Abraham Pais and his groundbreaking research in quantum mechanics.

The rule of the game was never assume that anybody, however honorable, would be able to stand up under torture. If Mr. X, who knew where I was, was caught for some reason, I should move.

- Abraham Pais

Of course, relative citation frequencies are no measure of relative importance. Who has not aspired to write a paper so fundamental that very soon it is known to everyone and cited by no one?

- Abraham Pais

I spent every night until four in the morning on my dissertation, until I came to the point when I could not write another word, not even the next letter. I went to bed. Eight o'clock the next morning I was up writing again.

- Abraham Pais

Once I even took the train to Utrecht, forty miles from Amsterdam, with my yellow star, this star which I still have. Why did I go? I just wanted to visit some friends. I was a little bit crazy, a little bit insane.

- Abraham Pais

One of the things I learned, one of the strangest things, is how to think. There was nothing else to do. I couldn't see people, or go for a walk in the forest. All I had was my head and my books, and I thought a lot.

- Abraham Pais

One of the absolute rules I learned in the war was, don't know anything you don't need to know, because if you ever get caught they will get it out of you.

- Abraham Pais