The great advance in thought has only brought us to the point of no more self-deception, and exactly knowing what we do know, whereas yesterday men deceived themselves, and imagined that the fables of religion and metaphysics were positive knowledge.

The history of physical science is in this respect very interesting.

It teaches that every step forward does not consist of a new explanation, but rather goes to prove, that the earlier explanations were untrustworthy.

The sphere of the exact sciences does not grow wider, but narrower.

It would be very instructive to study the history of natural science at the point it has reached." "Why do you not write such a history ?" asked Schrotter.
"Why?
It would be foolish to add another book to the millions of books already written.