British theoretical physicist (1902–1984)
He wrote down an equation in 1928 that married relativity to quantum mechanics and predicted antimatter before anyone had seen it — a leap so clean that physics has been working out the implications ever since.
Dirac came up through electrical engineering at Bristol, then mathematics, then arrived at Cambridge in 1926 to write the first doctoral thesis on quantum mechanics. Two years later he formulated the Dirac equation, connecting special relativity and quantum mechanics in a way that predicted the existence of antimatter. A 1931 paper sharpened that prediction. He contributed to Fermi–Dirac statistics, which describes particles with half-integer spin, and worked to reconcile general relativity with quantum mechanics. His 1930 monograph, The Principles of Quantum Mechanics, became one of the field…
Sourced, dated quotes from Paul Dirac
It was a good description to say that it was a game, a very interesting game one could play. Whenever one solved one of the little problems, one could write a paper about it.
I want to emphasize the necessity for a sound mathematical basis for any fundamental physical theory. Any philosophical ideas that one may have play only a subordinate role.
My research work was based in pictures. I needed to visualise things and projective geometry was often most useful e.g.
The measure of greatness in a scientific idea is the extent to which it stimulates thought and opens up new lines of research.
If there is no complete agreement between the results of one's work and the experiment, one should not allow oneself to be too discouraged.
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