How did Biot arrive at the partial differential equation?
[the heat conduction equation] . . . Perhaps Laplace gave Biot
the equation and left him to sink or swim for a few years in
trying to derive it. That would have been merely an instance
of the way great mathematicians since the very beginnings of
mathematical research have effortlessly maintained their
superiority over ordinary mortals.
-- Clifford Truesdell
[the heat conduction equation] . . . Perhaps Laplace gave Biot
the equation and left him to sink or swim for a few years in
trying to derive it. That would have been merely an instance
of the way great mathematicians since the very beginnings of
mathematical research have effortlessly maintained their
superiority over ordinary mortals.
-- Clifford Truesdell
Related:
- Chapter 2: Newtonian Growth and Decay
The growth-decay formulas were developed in the trivial fashion by
Isaac Newton's famous brother Phigg.
His idea was to provide an equation that would describe... - Uh, that's the same
equation... - Scott's second Law:
When an error has been detected and corrected,
it will be found to have been wrong in the first place... - When an error has been detected and corrected, it will
be found to have been correct in the first place.
Scott's second Law After the correction has been found... - In order to solve this differential equation you look at
it until a solution occurs to you.
Quoted by George... - He who would prove all life, leaves it empty. To know the way of everything
is to be left with the geometry of things and with the substance of
nothing.
To reduce the world to an equation is to leave it without... - Scott's First Law:
No matter what goes wrong, it will probably look right.
Scott's Second Law: When an error has been detected...
